Canada is recognizing the International Decade for People of African Descent. It’s a key opportunity to address anti-Black racism in the justice system.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently gave a short but significant speech on Parliament Hill announcing that the Government of Canada is officially recognizing the International Decade for People of African Descent. The decade, from 2015 to 2024, was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014.

In his remarks, Trudeau recognized that chief among the issues affecting Black people in Canada is their overrepresentation in the corrections system. The Prime Minister stated:

“We know that the interaction between Black Canadians and the corrections system as a whole faces a host of challenges, from discrimination in policing, to overrepresentation in our prisons. The percentage of inmates in our prisons who are Black is 8.6 percent, despite Black Canadians accounting for only 3.5 percent of the general population.”

This speech and accompanying official statement are a welcome step forward. It marks an unprecedented official acknowledgement by a sitting Canadian Prime Minister of the pervasive impacts of anti-Black racism.

But beyond symbolic gestures, meaningful steps are required. Systemic anti-Black racism in Canadian policing and courts dates back to at least the 1980s. Since then, the overrepresentation of Black people in Canada’s prisons has dramatically increased.

For instance, between 2003 and 2013, the number of Black inmates in Canada’s federal prisons grew by nearly 90%, while the number of Caucasian inmates declined by 3%. More troublingly, reports show that harsh treatments like solitary confinement disproportionately affect Black inmates.

A Policy Program for the Decade

The UN’s International Decade for People of African Descent includes a program of activities guiding countries on eliminating anti-Black racism, particularly in justice systems. These measures include:

• Strengthening equality laws and human rights mechanisms.
• Addressing racial profiling and police discrimination.
• Exploring reparations for the historical and ongoing impacts of systemic racism.

Critically, Trudeau’s announcement lacked a clear action plan to implement these measures. The Government of Canada now has the opportunity to engage in an honest review of the UN’s recommendations and take corrective action.

Toward Real Criminal Justice Reform

In 2017, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent visited Canada and raised “serious concerns about systemic anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system.” Their recommendations must be implemented if Canada hopes to make real progress.

Key recommendations include establishing:

• An African-Canadian Justice Portfolio within the Department of Justice.
• A Crime Prevention and Community Safety Division focused on Black communities within Public Safety Canada.

A Distinct Policy Approach for a Distinct People

Prime Minister Trudeau acknowledged that “people of African descent represent a distinct group” in Canada. As such, they deserve distinct, targeted policy solutions that go beyond symbolic gestures.

Black Canadians deserve justice — not incremental improvements, but a system that truly delivers fairness, dignity, and equality.

“Addressing the challenges facing Black Canadians requires participation from all Canadians.”

— This article is adapted from Policy Options by Anthony Morgan.