As people the world over condemn the killing of George Floyd and plead for an end to the racist attitudes that have led to so many unnecessary deaths of people of colour, it’s instructive to see how politicians and public figures respond to the crisis.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed shock at the magnitude of the protests but stated that Canada doesn’t experience the same systemic racism that Americans face.
After a huge pushback from Black leaders, Ford walked back his comments and agreed that the problems in Canada are far greater than he was aware.
Stockwell Day, a former member of the Harper cabinet, stated that the incidents of racial bias and hatred were really no worse than the chiding that he experienced as a child from his classmates.
For his remarkably insensitive remarks, Day resigned from his commentator role on CBC as well as the board of Telus and as a consultant for a prestigious law firm.
But these are but two of many examples of white men, from arguably privileged backgrounds, who refuse to acknowledge racial bias and discrimination because they themselves have not experienced it in their social circles.
As Bob Dylan wrote: “How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn’t see?”
We all have to decide if we’re going to be part of the problem or part of the solution to this human rights pandemic.
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