In the current climate of heightened awareness surrounding racial injustices, recent revelations have cast a spotlight on the past actions of senior legislators in Canada, sparking a necessary reckoning with the uncomfortable truth that those in influential positions may have contributed to the creation of unsafe environments for Black individuals.
The revelation in question involves Ontario Progressive Conservative candidate Stephen Lecce, who, during his time as a student at the University of Western Ontario, allegedly led a fraternity that organized a slave auction as a charity event. This disclosure prompts not only an examination of the actions of politicians during their youth but also a more profound consideration of whether they have genuinely reckoned with the implications of their past actions, especially regarding marginalized communities.
“Reckoning” is a process that goes beyond a mere acknowledgment of past actions; it requires a comprehensive understanding of the impact of those actions. To engage in an honest conversation about the growth or lack thereof of individuals like Minister Stephen Lecce, there needs to be transparency about the evolution of their perspectives on privilege, race, and the consequences of their past behavior.
The power dynamics at play make it crucial to reflect on what Lecce’s involvement in a slave auction would have meant for Black students at the University of Western Ontario. The fact that he held power then and continues to do so now demands a critical evaluation of whether meaningful change has occurred.
Minister Lecce has strategically aligned himself with Black organizations advocating for change, such as Parents of Black Children. While these organizations hope that revelations like these will spark transformative conversations and changes within fraternity and university culture, it’s essential to question why such revelations should be the catalyst for change.
Despite the University of Western Ontario’s global ranking, it has faced criticism for fostering a racist and anti-Black environment. Eternity Martis’s book, “They Said This Would Be Fun: Race, Campus Life and Growing Up,” sheds light on the challenges faced by Black students in predominantly white institutions like Western.
The impact of Lecce’s actions during his university days remains significant, as the errors made during that time continue to affect Black students entering predominantly white spaces, contributing to discrimination and academic struggles, and leading to higher dropout rates.
The nature of apologies is also crucial in this context. It is vital to examine whether an apology reflects remorse for inappropriate behavior or a genuine understanding of participation in a culture that ridiculed and humiliated marginalized communities. This scrutiny goes back to the notion of reckoning – are individuals sorry for getting caught, or are they genuinely remorseful for perpetuating a culture that disregarded the historical experiences of those with less privilege and power?
In the ongoing discourse, a tweet from @salaciousfrump stands out: “I was at Western when he was, and I knew even then that joking about slavery was wrong because I am not insane.” This sentiment encapsulates the gravity of the situation.
While institutions like Western may attempt to distance themselves from affiliated fraternities, the question remains: how safe can Black students feel on a campus where events like slave auctions have occurred or been tolerated? The uncovering of these past wrongs is a call not just for acknowledgment but for a comprehensive and genuine reckoning with the historical and ongoing impacts of systemic racism within Canadian institutions and politics.
