Canadian Race Relations Foundation

This article is a manuscript of Phil Fontaine's presentation of the Donald Gow Memorial Lecture. Fontaine is the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations; his presentation discusses contemporary racism in Canada, which he relates to public policy. The lecture begins with an overview of racism -- types of racism and their definitions, misinterpretations and fallacies, and the tools used to practice racism. The author presents racism in Canada today as mostly covert, marked by the vigourous denial of its existence. It is manifested not only in denial, but using different language in the improper portrayal of 'disadvantaged' or 'underprivileged' people. This is surprisingly common in the press, where campaigns of disproportionate coverage implant images and stereotypes into the minds of readers. Fontaine also discusses the culturalisation of racism, the justice system, and social and historical interpretations of of racially-affected crimes. He also looks ahead and states that any progress must be met with full acknowledgement of the past and present injustices against Aboriginal peoples.

A popular fallacy is that racism is irrational. It is not. Particularly in politics, racisma nd prejudice are always founded on seemingly rational, strategic arguments, designed to appeal to 'common sense' and so-called logical thinking. As all you students of public policy know, this approach has major consequences. It makes the specific prejudices upon which the arguments are founded, seem acceptable. It could be said that racism is the idea, and discrimination the practice. (p.3)

It must be understood that racists have no interest or desire to investigate the reality of others different from themselves not the injustices which result when others' realities are imposed on them. Their objectives are to roll back progress through the mobilisation of fear, resentment, ignorance and intolerance. For them, difference is dealt with by making it disappear -- by treating everyone the same. Non-Aboriginal Canadians must understand that this never has been and never will be good enough, because it will only perpetuate racism, indefinitely. (p. 9)