The federal government of Canada announced a “Black Justice Strategy” on Wednesday with a press release describing the operation as a countermeasure against “systemic racism” and “anti-black racism.”
The government’s statement says the “Black Justice Strategy” is necessary because of black residents’ “overrepresentation” both as victims of crime and as suspects targeted by police and prosecutors:
Black communities in Canada continue to live with the effects of prejudice, discrimination, and hatred—from unconscious bias to anti-Black hate crimes and violence. These systemic inequalities have resulted in the overrepresentation of Black people in Canada’s criminal justice system, including as victims of crime. To further its work to address these systemic issues, the Government of Canada is working with Black communities to develop Canada’s Black Justice Strategy (the Strategy).”
The governing Liberal Party of Canada credited the Black Lives Matter campaign with raising awareness of “systemic racism.”