'Really frustrating': Racialized people feel ignored in federal election campaign - CTV News

Given recent racist attacks in the country and racism hurled at campaigning candidates, racialized people living in Canada say they're concerned that systemic racism hasn't been at the forefront of any of the party leaders' messages.

Some almost 8 million Indigenous, Black and people of colour living in Canada, making up 22 per cent of Canada’s population, are wondering why there hasn't been more focus on racism and issues of race during the election campaign.

She said she had hoped that systemic racism in Canada would be more central to all of the candidates' campaigns.

For Krishnapillai, she feels as though the issues that impact people of colour haven't been seen as crucial during the election campaign.

"The fact that there are party leaders that are able to just move on from this subject and not constantly have it as part of what they're talking about kind of sucks … It's not like our experiences aren't as important," she said.

Not only is Krishnapillai not seeing these important conversations about race, she’s also not seeing the issues of young Canadians reflected in the election campaigns.

What are you talking about to get me to care, to get people like me to care?” she said.

“I think he's capable of greatness, but I also feel like, it just feels so performative and it doesn't feel genuine,” she said.

Barzak said that she experienced racism in Canada since she was a child, with other kids telling her: "'go back to your country,' – like, I heard that a lot as a child.".

She said she is disappointed that while politicians turned out to a memorial for the family killed in London in June, they have since gone silent on Islamophobia in the country, and systemic racism in general.

The candidates have spoken about diversity in Canada, but Barzak said just talking about it isn’t enough.

“I don't think it's enough to just say things like ‘diversity is our strength’, when hate crimes are clearly on the rise and there just isn't enough funding and enough push back,” she said.

And some forms of racism she says have gone unmentioned by the candidates on the campaign trail.

“I haven't heard any of the leaders discuss anti-Asian racism, and that has also been on the rise in relation to COVID and xenophobia and anti-Asian sentiment,” Barzak said

After a tumultuous 18 months in which marginalized and racialized communities were hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic, Barzak said it is time for the candidates to address these issues

Barzak said she is disappointed that issues of race haven’t been central to the candidates’ election campaigns, and she doesn’t think she’s alone in this feeling

“I look at leadership and I'm just shaking my head,” said Barzak

At the English-language leaders debate, where not a single Black person was invited to ask the candidates a question, issues that impact Black Canadians were left unaddressed

I would have loved to hear from some Asian folks about the last year that they've had and the issues that they would like to see moving forward,” she added

Bissaillion said he feels that issues impacting First Nations, Metis and Inuit in Canada haven’t been central to the parties’ campaigns

“So it does get swept under the rug, and I feel that a lot of the issues that pertain to indigenous people pertain to a lot of other minorities and marginalized folks, and it is kind of disappointing that it's gone to the wayside during this campaign,” he said

Bissaillion said he would like to hear more about what steps the parties will take to follow through on various promises, and issues that impact First Nations, Metis and Inuit in Canada

“I’d really like to hear from all parties on how we're going to start returning land back to our community so that we can take stewardship,” he said

Krishnapillai, Barzak, Otou and Bissaillion will participate in CTV's Voters' Viewpoint panel with CTV’s Your Morning host Anne Marie Mediwake as part of CTV News' special election coverage

Black and people of colour in Canada are wondering why racism and issues about race have taken a backseat on the campaign trail

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