Province's anti-racism panel to meet in Hamilton on Monday - Action News
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Province's anti-racism panel to meet in Hamilton on Monday

The province's new anti-racism panel will hold a meeting in Hamilton on Monday, the second stop on a 10-city tour that began in Toronto in July.

Hamilton meeting scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at Mohawk College

Many people who attended the first meeting of Ontario's new anti-racism directorate in July were critical of government officials. The next meeting takes place in Hamilton on Monday. (CBC)

The province's new anti-racism panel will hold a meeting in Hamilton on Monday, the second stop on a 10-city tour that began in Toronto in July.

Michael Coteau, Ontario minister of children and youth services, who is responsible for the government's anti-racism efforts, will be at the meeting Monday, which have been held up as a way to hear Ontarians' ideas on addressing systemic racism.

The meeting happens Monday at 7 p.m. at McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at Mohawk College, 135 FennellAvenue West. (Details here.)

Michael Couteau, Michael Coteau, Ontario minister of children and youth services, said: "I think there's a real will from the premier and from our government to look for ways to make changes." (CBC)

The Toronto meeting happened after several protests from Black Lives Matter Toronto, includingone at Queen's Park in early April and later, duringthe city's Pride parade.

The anti-racism directorate's first consultation focusedon systemic racism, including anti-black racism, Islamophobia, anti-Indigenous racism and racism experienced by other communities.

Some similar discussions may come up at the Hamilton meeting.

Anti-racial profiling activists are upset that seniorpolice leaders and policeboard members in Hamiltonhaven't consulted them onnew draft policies on carding and street checks.

They are disappointed with the police board'spolicies don't get at underlying issues like unchecked biases that may lead to disproportionate impacts on certain communities.

In Hamilton, CBC Hamilton's series recently showed thatthose who occupy positions of power don't reflect the diverse makeup of the city. Amosque was set on fire last week in what police are calling a hate crime. That fire coincided with the 15th anniversary of another hate crime at Hamilton's Hindu temple.

Last week witnesses saw a man set a fire at the entrance to the Ibrahim Jame Mosque, police say. The arson is being treated as a hate crime. (David Beatty/CBC)

A recent CBC Hamilton discussion with three community leaders focused on the temple arson,how to move past just talk about diversity andthe economics of racism measuring progress.

With files from CBC Toronto