Racism in Canada (split from A Deeply Fractured US)

[Remius]

Universities have numerous scholarships for first nations that are not available to Caucasians and do not have any that are available for whitey only. 

Again it’s a perception thing and not reality.  Specific scholarships for under represented and disadvantaged groups does not mean that there are not plenty of other scholarships for “whitey”. 

A study in the US showed that Caucasians get 3x the rate of scholarships.  Not because of overt racism but availability of said scholarships.  So in the case of First Nations they may already be locked out of many merit based scholarships by virtue of their nature and the interests of the sponsoring group or organisation. 

In Canada I would assume that the numbers are the same or similar.  So my son who might be an amazing hockey player and I paid for years of hockey because I could afford it can access tons of sports scholarships that someone who can’t, typically from disadvantaged groups.  Disadvantaged groups normally don’t apply or qualify for several sports or activity based scholarships that some advanced groups do.  Internet and computer access on and in many First Nations reserves is non existant or limited.  Even applying for some of these is a challenge if not Impossible.

“Whitey” has way more to choose from and access to than some groups.  So the feeling that they didn’t get a scholarship because he couldn’t apply for one that targets visible minorities or First Nations is misplaced and quite likely an excuse rather than the reality.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

There's nothing inherently wrong in giving folks who have been disadvantaged for a long time.

Racism itself is not reactive to affirmative action programs and laws. Racism flourished overtly long before any of those programs and to argue that it comes from that, or is exacerbated by that, is rationalization.

Racism will continue as long as one little group of blonde-haired girls bullies another little blonde-haired girl for wearing the wrong clothing. Some theorize that it's genetically ingrained in us to distrust "different" as part of our tribe/kinship coding. One needs to build a very strong social veneer on top of that which makes it unacceptable for racism to take place.

:cheers:

I think that there is a fair bit to the tribalism theory of human relationships that goes far beyond skin colour or race in how people relate to one another.

 

[Brad Sallows]

A person is disadvantaged.  Groups are..just groups.

Benefits and advantages should be means-tested, not skin-tested.

 

[Xylric]

I think that there is a fair bit to the tribalism theory of human relationships that goes far beyond skin colour or race in how people relate to one another.

Just look at the Scottish Highland clans if you want to be sure of it! 

 

[Remius]

This conversation has led me to look at how the Romans, a mixed race people, viewed race in antiquity.  The concept of race was a much different thing than what we know,  race was recognized but not as we know it.

Anyone could be romanized and being a Roman is what mattered.  Skin colour was not generally something that was defined as group. 

There are a few interesting articles on the subject.

 

[OceanBonfire]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/racist-flyer-dnd-discrimination-case-1.5633305

CBC is reporting on a story out of NDHQ.

I hope that supervisor's name goes public once the investigation is over.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

My wife is from Malaysia and is considered "Indigenous" there. So she qualifies for all sorts of special programs and perks. A couple of problems have arose. Malays have gone from 30% of the population to 60%, the government is running out of money to pay for all these perks. Trying to to cut back on them causes a riot, people have grown up expecting them as their birthright and since all businesses must hire Malay's, they end up unmotivated and poor workers. 

Affirmative actions programs may be a necessary evil, but they must always be seen as a temporary measure. I know a lot of women who despise female based affirmative action programs as they feel it devalues their hard work and they feel they get tainted by the brush of favoritism. However I don't see many politicians having the political balls to start weaning people off of these programs. In fact they see it as a "electable promise" regardless of whether we can afford it or it's healthy for the country in the long run.

For First Nations here, a few things, one their population is growing, becoming more urban and educated. they are also becoming more diluted as non-FN marry in and acquire rights and memberships in bands. This is going to mean more people vying for those programs, but there is only so much money to go around. This is one reason the FN bands for the most part opposed the status of Metis being raised to equal them. Another problem for the FN in the near future is that they are not going to be sitting across the table looking at a bunch of white guys, that other side is going to be populated more and more by other minorities, many that have little or no sympathy, nor history with the FN issues. Plus as politicians vie for the ethnic votes, the desire to spend money on programs that get no traction with minority communities will see the will to settle treaties diminish.

My experience with bands in BC is that in most of them the young people are less interested in the "rights and title" fight and more interested in economic opportunities. This shift has caught many band council off guard as they don't have a lot of expertise on economic activity. That being said, I have seen significant change and improvements on most of the reserves over the last 20 years and have confidence that many will do well.     

 

[OldSolduer]

Just look at the Scottish Highland clans if you want to be sure of it! 

Not just that either. I am from Northern Saskatchewan (tune the banjos please) and the racism between those of Anglo Saxon origin and Slavic origin wasn't pretty either.

 

[mariomike]

Affirmative actions programs may be a necessary evil, but they must always be seen as a temporary measure.

Canada has had it for a long time,

The roots of employment equity are in the 1984 Abella Commission, chaired by Judge Rosalie Abella. She considered a US term, "affirmative action", but decided not to use it because of the emotions and ill will surrounding affirmative action. In its place she created the term "employment equity" for the Canadian context. Abella's report later became the foundation of the Employment Equity Act of 1986, later amended as the Employment Equity Act of 1995.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_equity_(Canada)#History

 

[OceanBonfire]

Police investigating after racist, anti-mask tirade at Mississauga supermarket goes viral

https://globalnews.ca/news/7155891/racist-anti-mask-viral-video-mississauga

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1992191

 

[mariomike]

I'm familiar with that store. Always a pleasant experience. What the Hell is wrong with some people?

 

[CBH99]

I've never understood how people end up becoming that way  :facepalm:


Like at some point, does him brain not kick in and say... "I'm a grown man, standing in the middle of a supermarket, yelling & threatening an employee, having a massive hissy fit."  ??

When the 2yo toddler is starring at you, saying "Wowa, this guy is so childish!"    You know it's maybe time to take a breath, go to the car, and think it through once you've calmed down a bit    :facepalm:

 

[mariomike]

Nothing new about people kvetching about masks.

But, that racist diatribe made me sick. The people interviewed were visibly upset.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Those employees deserve an award of some kind for the restraint shown in the face of deep ignorance and blatant aggression.

Is there a medal for that yet? If not, there should be...

 

[YZT580]

It is quite possible that under normal conditions the guy is not as he appears on the video.  His diatribe is almost incoherent and it is disjointed.  It appears to me to be more a classic road-rage outburst and I think we will see more of it.  People are reaching the end of their tethers and are unable to find normality in which to sit down, draw in a few deep breathes and smell the roses or something else pleasurable.  The masks are a visible reminder that things aren't normal.  He was correct in that the virus did originate in China.  Possibly he has been either laid off or on reduced hours.  His kids (if any) have been constantly questioning, perhaps he doesn't like the government giving money away.  There are a myriad little irritants that keep combining and he doesn't see an escape.  Pressure builds and he blows.  Not really racist I don't think, the clerk was just the first available target.  Fortunately, we don't have carry permits here in Canada or it could have been far more serious.

 

[CBH99]

Nobody likes wearing a mask, or the stupid arrows on the ground, or anything like that. 

And true, we all have stresses at home (Except for me, I got a dog after my final relationship ended & have never looked back    )


Still.  No excuse to be acting like that much of a dumb f**k, even in a world full of them.


**I don't disagree with what your saying YTZ at all.  Just feel like a grown man shouldn't be out-behaved by a toddler, and have some more self awareness.  :2c:

 

[Remius]

It is quite possible that under normal conditions the guy is not as he appears on the video.  His diatribe is almost incoherent and it is disjointed.  It appears to me to be more a classic road-rage outburst and I think we will see more of it.  People are reaching the end of their tethers and are unable to find normality in which to sit down, draw in a few deep breathes and smell the roses or something else pleasurable.  The masks are a visible reminder that things aren't normal.  He was correct in that the virus did originate in China.  Possibly he has been either laid off or on reduced hours.  His kids (if any) have been constantly questioning, perhaps he doesn't like the government giving money away.  There are a myriad little irritants that keep combining and he doesn't see an escape.  Pressure builds and he blows.  Not really racist I don't think, the clerk was just the first available target.  Fortunately, we don't have carry permits here in Canada or it could have been far more serious.

Or maybe he was just an a-hole with underlying issues being told to do something simple.  His rant about the Chinese bringing this over on purpose tells me he’s been watching too much fake news on Facebook or YouTube.  Maybe in normal circumstances he just keeps what he really thinks to himself and finally let it out.  When you tell someone to go back to China In anger and rage it’s a racist statement.  Does it make him racist?  It does on social media that’s for sure.

Masks aren’t hard,  it’s an easy thing to do.  No different than a no shirt, no shoes, no service policy.  For those that remember that.  Nobody freaked out over that the way some are now.  Or seatbelts.

I don’t get it.

 

[Jarnhamar]

When I see videos like that I wonder if perhaps (sometimes) it's not a matter of systemic racism where all these people hate other races but simply a matter of people being assholes because we as a society have gotten off on being an asshole for the last 30 years. maybe instead of being borderline supremacists these people are just dumb and can't articulate their emotions/feelings/thoughts very well so they go for the lowest hanging fruit and attack someones race?

Big of a tangent about treating people bad.

30 years ago Americans Funniest Home videos hit the screens. 30 seasons, ran for 10 years and what were some of the most popular videos? People getting hurt.

20 Years ago Survivor hit the screens and ushered in the era of reality TV. It's still going. Do we tune in for the slick survival skills? Or to watch the drama, fighting and backstabbing.

Cops ran from 1989 to 2 months ago. Lots of TV shows center on the suffering or humiliation of others (bachelor, big brother).

We also love our memes. Subtle (and not so subtle) ways to say fuck you to people and laugh at them or their misfortune. Look at Milnet.ca's political cartoon thread. Basically a meme thread with left and right saying fuck you to each other while smiling.

We brought up Cpl Bloggins. I've mentioned it here before but when you see what Cpl Bloggins actually posted it wasn't really bad. He'd make a comment like "girls in the military, right?" or something fairly ambiguous and the real vitriol came from everyone else. He'd light a match and everyone else would throw gas on. Dumb. Like the sgt or WO in DEUs posting under his own name calling a Capt a c**t and making fun of her name who got nailed with a $1000 charge IIRC. Raging misogynist or someone who's been taught (conditioned?) to think that being hateful to someone else is acceptable.


I could be way off in left field or totally wrong but I think in a lot of these cases it could be because people just forgot how to respect and treat each other. A lot of people are just shitty to each other.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Stumbled across this video from Steven Crowder. It's an interesting perspective. He believes that free speech means that someone can say whatever they want and if I understand his perspective it's up to the public to ostracize said person, not up to the government to censor them.

The back and forth between Steven and the german woman is interesting too. Watch how she doesn't think being sent to jail for what you say is a form of censorship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS54CyMLXmI

 

[Brad Sallows]

So out of millions of people, some are very unpleasant.  In an age in which almost everyone has a hand-held video camera and the means to publish to a wide audience, many get to see these unpleasant people.