CRRF Glossary

Title	Definition
Aboriginal Peoples	The original inhabitants of North America. Term used to collectively describe cultural groups of aboriginal people - “Inuit”, “Métis People” and “First Nations”. These are separate peoples with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs, histories and political goals. (AFN)
Acceptance	Affirmation and recognition of those whose race, religion, nationality, values, beliefs, etc. are different from one’s own.
Acculturation	The process of psycho-social change whereby the culture, values and patterns of a new or different culture are adopted by a person or an ethnic, social, religious, language or national group. This process can also involve absorbing aspects of minority cultures into the host culture’s pattern.
Adverse Impact	The numerical and often unintended impact of employment practices that disproportionately exclude designated groups. This may be a signpost to investigate possible systemic discrimination. It is not a measure of discrimination.
Affirmative Action	A set of explicit actions, policies or programs designed to increase participation at all levels of employment and education for and by individuals or groups previously excluded from full participation.
Ally	A member of a different group who works to end a form of discrimination for a particular individual or designated group.
Ancestry	A line of people from whom one is descended; family descent.
Anti-Black Racism	Anti-Black racism is the racial prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination that is directed at people of African descent. It is manifested in the social, economic, and political marginalization of African Canadians in society.
Anti-Oppression	Strategies, theories and actions that challenge social and historical inequalities and injustices that are systemic to our systems and institutions by policies and practices that allow certain groups to dominate over other groups.
Anti-Racism	An active and consistent process of change to eliminate individual, institutional and systemic racism.

Aboriginal Peoples

The original inhabitants of North America. Term used to collectively describe cultural groups of aboriginal people - “Inuit”, “Métis People” and “First Nations”. These are separate peoples with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs, histories and political goals. (AFN)

Acceptance

Affirmation and recognition of those whose race, religion, nationality, values, beliefs, etc. are different from one’s own.

Acculturation

The process of psycho-social change whereby the culture, values and patterns of a new or different culture are adopted by a person or an ethnic, social, religious, language or national group. This process can also involve absorbing aspects of minority cultures into the host culture’s pattern.

Adverse Impact

The numerical and often unintended impact of employment practices that disproportionately exclude designated groups. This may be a signpost to investigate possible systemic discrimination. It is not a measure of discrimination.

Affirmative Action

A set of explicit actions, policies or programs designed to increase participation at all levels of employment and education for and by individuals or groups previously excluded from full participation.

Ally

A member of a different group who works to end a form of discrimination for a particular individual or designated group.

Ancestry

A line of people from whom one is descended; family descent.

Anti-Black Racism

Anti-Black racism is the racial prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination that is directed at people of African descent. It is manifested in the social, economic, and political marginalization of African Canadians in society.

Anti-Oppression

Strategies, theories and actions that challenge social and historical inequalities and injustices that are systemic to our systems and institutions by policies and practices that allow certain groups to dominate over other groups.

Anti-Racism

An active and consistent process of change to eliminate individual, institutional and systemic racism.

Canadian Race Relations Foundation

Fondation canadienne des relations raciales

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CRRF Glossary