Ontario's anti-racism directorate cuts a step backwards, NDP's Lindo says

Cuts by the current Ontario government to the anti-racism directorate is sending the message racialized and Indigenous people in the province don't matter, says NDP anti-racism critic Laura Mae Lindo.

Lindo said experts have been told they're no longer needed and the government has disbanded four subcommittees of the directorate. The directorate's mandate is toprovideadvice to the government to eliminate systemic racism.

Ontario's anti-racism directorate was established in Feb. 2016 at a time when people were upset about practices like cardingor street checksby police. It has held public meetings and released reports including a strategic three-year anti-racism plan.

• Ontario establishing anti-racism directorate, 10 years after promise
• Carding 'wrong, illegal,' former Ontario ombudsman concludes

"Anti-racism efforts in Ontario need to get better, not worse," Lindo, the MPP for Kitchener Centre, said in a release.

"[Premier] Doug Ford is moving our province backwards by making deep cuts to the vital work of the anti-racism directorate."

'No place' in province for racism

Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Michael Tibollo said during question period Monday the work of the directorate continues.

"We made it very clear that there is no place in the Province of Ontario for racism," he said in response to a question from Lindoabout cuts to the directorate, which is under his portfolio.

• Jeers and applause at first meeting of Ontario's new anti-racism directorate
• New Ontario rule banning carding by police takes effect

CBC K-W requested comment from Tibollo about cuts to the directorate.

In a statement, Tibollo's press secretary Brett Weltman did not address the cuts, but wrote that the directorate "is continuing to fulfilits mandate of a whole-of-government approach to addressing systemic racism by implementing its strategic plan."

Lindo argued there is ongoing public concern about race issues in the province.

"The message Ford is sending to Indigenous communities and racialized Ontarians is that they don't matter to his administration," she said and called on the government to explain their plans for the directorate.

MPPLaura Mae Lindoposted her exchange with Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services MichaelTibolloduring Tuesday's question period to her Facebook page:

Full statement from Brett Weltmen, press secretary for Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Michael Tibollo:

"The Anti-Racism Directorate is continuing to fulfil its mandate of a whole-of-government approach to addressing systemic racism by implementing its strategic plan.

"This includes the implementation of Anti-Racism data standards.

"The collection and analysis of reliable and usable data will help the government identify any systemic barriers across sectors and help make evidence-based decisions to shape policies, programs, and services ultimately improving how the people of Ontario are served.

"The Anti-Racism Directorate will continue its important work on an integrated approach across government to identify initiatives that will remove systemic barriers."