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SOCIAL WORK IN CANADA
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An Introduction
Third Edition
Chapter 12: Social Work with Racialized
Canadians and Immigrants
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Anti-Racist Social Work Today
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History of “Race Relations” in Canada
The New Immigration
Multiculturalism Policy
Human Rights Legislation
Concepts and Terms
Towards Anti-Racist Social Work
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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History of “Race Relations” in Canada
Racism
The subordination of one group by another using
arbitrary physical features such as skin color. It can
occur at individual, institutional, or societal levels in the
form of attitudes, beliefs, policies, or procedures.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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History of “Race Relations” in Canada
Anti-Racist Social Work
An approach to practice that aggressively
combats racism on the individual, institutional,
and societal level.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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History of “Race Relations” in Canada
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Chinese Immigration and the Head Tax
Japanese-Canadians and Internment
Jewish Refugees
Black people in Canada
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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The New Immigration
 Prior to 1961, over 90% of all immigrants were
from Europe and only 3.1% were from Asia
 By the 1990s, Europeans made up one-fifth of all
immigrants, 60% came from Asia
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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The New Immigration
 In 2001, Chinese and South Asians were already
the largest “visible minority” groups in Canada
 By 2017, roughly one-half of all visible minorities
in Canada will belong to one of two groups: South
Asian or Chinese
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Multiculturalism Policy
 In 1971, Canada became the first country to
adopt multiculturalism as an official policy
 Policy’s original aim was to give ethnic minority
groups a public recognition of their identity
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Multiculturalism Policy
 In 1988, the Multiculturalism Act was passed,
restating/reinforcing the 1971 policy
 Mandated federal departments to ensure equal
opportunities in employment for all ethnic and
racial groups
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Human Rights Legislation
Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Guarantees the fundamental freedoms of conscience
and religion, thought, belief, opinion and expression and
peaceful assembly and association.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Human Rights Legislation
Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Guarantees democratic rights, geographical mobility
rights, legal rights, and equality rights that protect
against “discrimination based on race, national or ethnic
origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical
disability.”
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Human Rights Legislation
Employment Equity
Purpose: to ensure equity in the workplace so that no
one is denied access to employment for reasons
unrelated to merit and skills.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Human Rights Legislation
Hate Crimes
Crimes that target people solely because of who they
are or are perceived to be; usually committed against
members of marginalized groups.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Stereotype
Refers to the forming of a fixed picture of a group of
people, usually based on false or incomplete
information.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Prejudice
To “pre-judge” others based on preconceived ideas. No
law can prohibit prejudiced attitudes; however, the law
can prohibit discriminatory practices and behaviours
that flow from prejudice.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Ethnicity refers to the characteristics of a group
of people who share a common heritage, identity, or
origin, or are the descendants of those who shared a
distinct culture and who identify with their ancestors,
their culture or their group.
Ethnic group is used to refer to minority ethnic groups.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Culture
Generally refers to behaviours, beliefs, and practices
that are meaningful in terms of some shared cognitive,
and value assumptions derived from a unique historical
community experience.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Ethnocentrism
An attitude by which members of a group tend to
consider their group to be in some (or all) ways better or
superior to other groups.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Race
An arbitrary classification of human beings based on
skin colour and other superficial physical
characteristics.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Visible minorities
Persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are nonCaucasian in race or non-white in colour.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Racism
A relationship or attitude based on the subordination of
one group by another using arbitrary physical features
such as skin colour.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Discrimination
Actions, situations, or policies that have the effect,
whether intentional or not, of putting some people at an
unnecessary disadvantage on grounds such as race,
sex, or religion.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Systemic racism
Refers to the existence of policies and structures built
into our social institutions that serve to subjugate,
oppress, and force the dependence of individuals or
groups.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Concepts and Terms
Anti-racist social work
Goes beyond the individual level and recognizes that
racism is deeply rooted in the wider institutions of our
society – most notably in employment, education,
justice, media, policing, immigration, and government
policies.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Towards an Anti-Racist Social Work
Social work, redefined according to anti-racist criteria, is
about realizing significant improvement in the life chances
and well-being of individuals regardless of their gender, race,
class, age, physical or intellectual abilities, sexual orientation,
religious affiliation, or linguistic capabilities.
Anti-racist social work, therefore, is a bridge between social
work in a racist society and social work in a non-racist one.
Lena Dominelli
Pioneer in developing anti-racist social work
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Towards an Anti-Racist Social Work
Exemplary Practice examples
 Nanaimo Youth Services Association
 The Urban Native Youth Association
 The Black Community Resource Centre
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Towards an Anti-Racist Social Work
Anti-Racism Analysis Tool
Personal Level
Institutional Level
Power
Power
Society
Power
Ideological
Level
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Towards an Anti-Racist Social Work
In the context of Aboriginal youth, the anti-racist
analysis tool redirects us to the personal, institutional,
and ideological aspects of the problem:
Power
Power
 Personal racism – policing practices
 Institutional racism – most judges are white
 Ideological racism – cultural differences and
language barriers
Society
Power
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Websites
 Canadian Race Relations Foundation
www.crr.ca
 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
www.un.org/WCAR/coverage.htm
 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Electronic Resource Center
www.socialwork.dal.ca
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
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Questions for Discussion
Review the history of Africville. Discuss the
ways in which social workers can be involved in
reconciliation work between black and white
communities in Halifax.
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Questions for Discussion
How would you define “visible minority”? What
are the implications of this category for people
of mixed ethnic backgrounds?
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Questions for Discussion
In what ways does Canada’s Multicultural Policy
affect First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities?
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Questions for Discussion
Why is it important for social workers to
understand the history of relations among the
diverse groups of origin in Canada? How can this
inform our future practice?
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------
Questions for Discussion
Think about the community where you live. What
would an anti-racist social work approach look
like in your community?
Where might you find resistance? How would you
address it?
Chapter 12:
Anti-Racist Social Work Today
Social Work In Canada
Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.