It was completed by the Angus Reid Institute and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and shows many are facing ongoing abuse, harassment and poor treatment in 2023.
“A consequence of this appears to be poor treatment of Asian Canadians in Canada,” the report states.
“One-in-five Chinese and East Asian Canadians say they have regularly faced negative reactions from other Canadians as a result of the political tensions between the Canadian and Chinese governments.”
The data shows about 20 per cent say harassment has happened “repeatedly.”
MISTREATMENT RISING IN 2023
Angus Reid completed a separate poll of a similar nature in 2021 and comparing that to 2023 showcases negative treatment of Asian Canadians is increasing, specifically for Chinese Canadians.
In 2021 Chinese Canadian respondents said they face negative reactions from other Canadians all the time (four per cent) or often (11 per cent). In 2023, these categories increased by three and one percentage points each.
Chinese Canadians are reporting in 2023 more name calling and insults, personal threats or intimidation, instances of friends or colleagues avoiding contact with them, and being physically attacked by strangers compared to 2021.
The proportion of Chinese Canadians seeing offensive material on social media, on graffiti around their community, or other spaces, has dropped marginally compared to 2021, the percentage reporting disrespect or abuse in other forms has largely increased. (Angus Reid Institute)
Of all Asian Canadians that responded in 2023, South Asians (28 per cent) reported a higher level of abuse or discrimination.
In the past year about 22 per cent of Chinese and other east Asian Canadians have seen offensive media, graffiti, propaganda or jokes.
South Asian Canadians reported being treated with less respect and fearing for the safety of their friends and family the most over the past year.
IS IT GETTING BETTER OR WORSE?
When specifically asked if discrimination and racism are getting better or worse, more Asian Canadians agreed it was worse in the past year (over 2022 and 2023).
About 42 per cent of the general population said racism has “stayed the same” whereas 46 per cent of Asian Canadians said it was “getting worse.”
Despite Asian Canadians agreeing more needs to be done about discrimination in Canada, the general population believes the opposite, the poll says.
When asked “how much of a problem do you consider racism, and discrimination against Asians to be today in Canada overall?” about 45 per cent of the general population said it was a problem “among others here” in 2023.
This is a decrease in priority from 48 per cent in 2021.
For Asian Canadians the problem has shifted, showing 56 per cent in 2023 — compared to 53 per cent in 2021 — believe Asian hate in Canada is a “problem among others here.”
RACISM EXISTS EVERYWHERE
While many Canadians do believe Asian hate is a problem in Canada, they believe it’s less so a problem within their own community.
In 2023 about 26 per cent said racism against Asians in their community was an issue, in 2021 this was 30 per cent.
But Asian Canadians responded in 2023 and 2021 (33 per cent) both saying it continued to be an issue in their communities.
“Regions with higher levels of Asian Canadian representation (Ontario and British Columbia) are more likely to voice concerns when it comes to discrimination in their own province,” the report says.
About half (51 per cent) of all respondents in B.C. said racism is a problem in the province, followed by 41 per cent in Quebec and 39 per cent in Ontario.
About 40 per cent of people in Manitoba said it was a minor problem.
When it comes to action against hate, the majority of Asian Canadians do not report the experience to the police.
About 39 per cent do not tell anyone about a negative experience, while 31 per cent mention it to someone around them.
This corresponds to how Asian Canadians feel about the experiences, with 38 per cent saying the situation “stays” with them. This is higher for younger Asian Canadians, with 40 per cent saying an experience is upsetting and stays with them.
Although racism and discrimination continue to impact Asian Canadians, and other racialized minorities, overall Canadians do see the value in a diverse population.
“More than four-in-five (86 per cent) say that Canada’s multicultural population represents a strength rather than a weakness,” the report reads.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
