Jean Augustine Joins National Leaders in Calling for Black Representation and Anti-Black Racism Mandate on New Federal Advisory Council

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OTTAWA, Ontario, June 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Honourable Jean Augustine, PC, CM, CBE, former Member of Parliament and the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons of Canada, joined national leaders Thursday in calling on the Government of Canada to strengthen the newly established Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion by ensuring meaningful Black representation and adopting an explicit mandate to address anti-Black racism.

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The call comes following the Government of Canada’s announcement earlier this week of the Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion – a body established to advise government on issues related to rights, equality, inclusion, racism, and hate.

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The leaders expressed concern that anti-Black racism has not been explicitly identified within the Council’s mandate, and the announced membership does not include representation from Black communities or Black faith communities.

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“Black Canadians have helped build this country and have made significant contributions to its social, economic, cultural, and democratic life,” said The Honourable Jean Augustine. “You cannot build a council on rights, equality and inclusion while failing to ensure Black representation and failing to explicitly address anti-Black racism. Their voices must be reflected in national institutions tasked with advancing equality and inclusion.”

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Nicholas Marcus Thompson, Co-Chair of the National Employment Equity Council, said the concerns raised regarding the Council reflect a broader lesson that Canada has already learned through the Employment Equity Act Review.

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“The Employment Equity Act Review concluded that Black workers face unique and persistent barriers, and recommended they be recognized as a distinct employment equity group,” he said. “The Government accepted those recommendations, recognizing that progress occurs when anti-Black racism is explicitly recognized and addressed. The same principle should apply to Canada’s newest equality and inclusion body.”

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The organizations noted that it welcomes efforts to combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Indigenous racism, as well as hate, discrimination, and exclusion in all their forms. Previous federal initiatives established dedicated mechanisms addressing antisemitism and Islamophobia, yet no equivalent federal mechanism was ever established to address anti-Black racism, despite being consistently among the most highly targeted demographics for police-reported hate crimes nationwide.

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The organizations are calling on the Government of Canada to:

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The organizations emphasized that these recommendations are intended to strengthen the Advisory Council and support the Government of Canada’s efforts to advance equality and inclusion for all Canadians.