By Isaac Lamoureux
The narrative perpetuated by the Canadian federal government and various institutions that Canada is systemically racist simply isn’t true, a study finds.
The study, published by Matthew Lau of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute Oct. 30, directly counters past comments from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that there are “profound systemic inequities and disparities” ingrained in the nation’s core institutions.
Lau’s research, titled “Systemic racism claims in Canada: A fact-based analysis,” aimed to answer two questions: Is there evidence to back up claims such as these that Canada today is systemically racist? Are government programs and strategies likely to reduce the incidence or mitigate the effects of racism in society?
“The answer to both is a resounding ‘no,’” said the report.
Income disparities analyzed in the study demonstrate that many visible minority groups outearn the white population, contradicting the narrative of widespread disadvantage.
After accounting for employment and sociodemographic factors, only four out of twenty minority groups exhibited lower earnings than their white counterparts, while five minority groups had statistically higher earnings.