Racism and exclusion play a bigger role in Canada’s pandemic response than you think.

When COVID-19 hit earlier this year, it’s safe to say the majority of us struggled with the ensuing chaos in our own way, whether it related to physical health, mental health, reduced income, child care – the list goes on and on.

What warrants discussion however, is that a large portion of Canadians found themselves disproportionately affected by recent events as the pandemic shone a bright light on barriers to equality that already exist within our society. The Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Anti-Racism Secretariat are co-hosting a virtual conference entitled, “Confronting Racism and addressing human rights in a Pandemic” which aims to raise awareness about the deeply rooted systemic racism and unchecked biases that have shaped Canada’s pandemic response. It will feature a variety of expert and advocate keynote speakers from a variety of disciplines across Canada.

The conference takes place on September 16, 2020, from 1pm to 4 pm (ET) and registration is free. *Update* this event has passed but click here for more information on the Government of Canada’s anti-racism strategy.