Hamilton looks to set up hotline to support victims of racism

Bill DeLisser has lived in the same house for more than 20 years, and for the last few, one of his neighbours has scattered trash on his lawn.

The neighbour drops garbage on his lawn and driveway in the west Mountain. When DeLisser, a native of Jamaica, told him to pick it up, the man told him to Go home, n--ger.

Weve been fighting for a decade, working on this, to get it to where it is.- Roger Cameron, chair of Hamiltoncommittee for anti-racism

Its just one of the many daily incidents of racism that happen around Hamilton, said DeLisser, a member of the Jamaica Foundation in Hamilton.

Thats why hes pleased that city councillors will vote on Sept. 22 to establish an anti-racism resource centre, which will be ahotlineto support people who experience racism and connect them with resources.

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In 2013, Hamilton Police Service investigated 11 hate crimes, a number that has decreased in the last few years. But the number of incidents with a hate or bias element wherepeople utter odious remarks against someones race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or physical or mental ability has been growing. Most of them are against the black community.

• Read More: Hamilton Better or Worse- Hate crimes are down but hate is not

DeLissergave a list of common racist incidents when he presented before the audit, finance and administration committee on Monday. Among them:

• His son drives a Mercedes and police frequently stop him and ask him whose car hes driving.

• Hamiltonians of colour walk into stores and are treated either with suspicion or ignored.

These things happen not in the 60s or 70s, but today in Hamilton.

The citys anti-racism committee first presented at city hall in February to ask for a centre. It will cost $130,000 for an 18-month period, which would pay for a full-time employee to manage the centre and help line, as well as office equipment.Money would likely come from an existing reserve account.

Huge step

Roger Cameron, chair of the citys committee for anti-racism, called the centre a huge, huge step. Weve been fighting for a decade, working on this, to get it to where it is.

If racist incidents are not addressed, Cameron said, tensions escalate to the level they have in Ferguson.

Racism emotionally scars the people who encounter it, he said, and its important that people get support.

These incidents can lead to psychological problems, and if these arent addressed, even a person whos been oppressed can become an oppressor, he said.

Earlier this year, the city declared itself a sanctuary city, which means it wont quiz people on their citizenship status when they access some city services.

When councillors passed that motion, Coun. Brad Clark said, his office fielded racist calls so virulent I was actually afraid.