In this September 2020 file photo, anti-racism event attendees and counter-protestors are seen prior to violence breaking out. The event saw arrests and criminal charges laid. (Contributed)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

education needed

Report on racism in Red Deer shows a community divided

Aug 4, 2022 | 3:56 PM

A research study entitled Understanding Racism in Red Deer is complete, and results show the community is split on the matter.

Conducted by Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP), a survey took place in March 2021, garnering feedback from 665 respondents.

“This is the first time our community has gathered data specific to the issue of racism. It is a very divisive issue, and that division is evident based on the results we gathered,” says Kristine Bugayong, interim program manager for RDLIP.

“Half of the respondents think that racism is worse or a lot worse in Red Deer, while half think that it’s either about the same compared with other communities or some think it is not happening at all. We are proud that we were able to gather this information as it paints a compelling picture of what the different realities of our community members are.”

The report gives background, including local events, including a 2017 fight involving Syrian students and Canadian students at a Red Deer high school. It mentions a public meeting held in Red Deer by the National Citizens Alliance in 2018, as well as the interruption of an anti-racism rally in September 2020 which led to criminal charges on both sides.

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“There is a recurring trend of blaming immigrants for social issues or crimes committed by individual persons of colour,” the report says. “Since the end of 2018, ‘yellow vest’ protesters have regularly set up on downtown street corners, including anti-immigration and anti-Asian rhetoric in their protests.”

It says events such as these have created racial tension in the community.

A graph from the community report shows the largest recipients of racist comments, according to 665 respondents. (RDLIP)

Other findings of the report:

• Indigenous people were 3.6 times more likely than White people to experience racist treatment by the local police in the last 5 years, while Visible Minorities were 2.6 times more likely than White people to experience racism from the local police.
• Racism was experienced most online, in public places such as streets, parks, and bus stops, at schools and workplaces.
• Racism was experienced least in private business, private homes, restaurants and religious places such as churches, mosques and temples.
• Top 3 types of racism experienced most frequently are: 1) stereotyping; 2) inappropriate jokes; 3) racial slurs/comments.
• Top 3 types of racism that had the most negative impact are: 1) unfair grading in school; 2) inaccurate treatment in a health facility or clinic; 3) missed housing opportunities.
• Top 3 ways to help reduce racism in Red Deer according to respondents: 1) more people intervening in racist situations; 2) better cultural training and protocols for police; 3) supportive practices and policies.

“The amount of vitriol and anger that reside with people is the biggest hurdle we face,” adds Bugayong. “It stems from fear of the unknown, which is unfortunately learned and instituted within systems. We may not be able to change these systems immediately, but by knowing what to do and through steady and decisive action, we can get there. There is also a big hurdle in each of us, when we are having difficulties in understanding and accepting other people as they are.”

As for next steps, Bugayong says RDLIP will be following up its Proud to be Your Neighbour campaign with three pillars of response.

The first is anti-racism and bystander training, the second is support services for victims of racism, and lastly, policy and advocacy. RDLIP is working on what it calls a community road map containing both the city’s assets and deficiencies in that trio of areas.

“The survey results also indicate that individuals feel more confident speaking up,” says Bugayong, “when they encounter or witness a racist incident if they know they will be supported by people around them.”

(RDLIP)

Funding for this survey and report — which can be viewed in full here — was provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

*85% of respondents were between the ages of 19-60 years old. 70.8% of respondents identified themselves as white; 5% Indigenous; 3% black; 3% bi-racial; 3% Southeast Asian; and 2.3% Latinx. 82.3% of the respondents said that their primary language is English. 83.3% of respondents said that they were born in Canada.

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