"Beyond the shadows" tackles Quebec racism

By Joel Ceausu The Suburban

“Denial is a significant barrier to reform”

Call it a tutorial, rallying cry, guidebook or roadmap, but it’s certainly an eye-opener. It’s also necessary, says Joel DeBellefeuille, executive director of the Red Coalition anti-racism lobby group, and one of Quebec’s leading voices in the fight against racial discrimination.
Beyond the Shadows: Confronting systemic racism in Quebec, is a 55-page e-book (available on Amazon) penned by DeBellefeuille to highlight what has long been in the shadows: the causes, impacts, enablers, and obstacles to the eradication of systemic racism.
DeBellefeuille takes pains to highlight important factors, such as the provincial government’s denial of the very existence of systemic racism in Quebec; blocking permanent residents from becoming police officers; lack of specificity in public union collective agreements when dealing with racial discrimination complaints; and finally, the inability of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) to hear complaints from unionized employees.

These all contribute to a climate where change is sclerotic at best, he told The Suburban. “Descriptive actions for collective agreements and the CDPDJ accepting unionized complaints; these two things alone will change the face of racism and discrimination in the province.”
He says the timing is important for disseminating this information, to give people a broader understanding of these issues “that many people inside Quebec and most outside Quebec are not aware of. We need to bring this to the attention of everybody and highlight these issues.”
Quebec has a particular challenge since the government’s position “creates a domino effect on everything going on in the province and lets it persist,” he says, adding that’s exacerbated by language issues and laws like Bill 96 which contribute to the general problem. “The Premier, and the current party don’t have anti-racism legislation in place to address these issues” he says, rather they simply rely on ad hoc policy announcements.
The book includes sections on what other jurisdictions are doing; the role of the CDPDJ, the groundbreaking Yergeau — Luamba decision, recommendations for reform, Quebec hot zones, police accountability and DeBellefeuille’s own historic cases.
Beyond the Shadows is an easy read, and a $7 investment in civic awareness, a useful tool as multiple jurisdictions move closer towards elections and people seek information on these important issues.