Anti-Indigenous racism normalized in northeastern Ontario city: rights commissioner
TORONTO — Racism against Indigenous people in the northeastern Ontario city of Timmins appears to be both pervasive and normalized, the province’s chief human rights commissioner said this week.
Speaking after a fact-finding mission to the region, Renu Mandhane said everyday incidents experienced by First Nations people include being unduly scrutinized in stores or at the mall, hassled when using status cards, being called “dirty Indians,” or being yelled at by motorists to go back to their reserves.
“We did get the sense that there is a pervasive level of racism that Indigenous people experience in Timmins,” Mandhane said. “We (also) heard a lot about discrimination in housing: If your name sounds First Nations or you look stereotypically First Nations, that would impact your ability to get housing, especially because there is such a housing shortage.”
Mandhane said she was struck by the lack of the kind of formal or informal channels that exist in other places for discussing and addressing issues around racism. Timmins police, for example, do have an aboriginal liaison program, but Mandhane said it didn’t appear to be a “meaningful” initiative.