by the Working Group on Racial Equity

Thank you for the draft minutes of [of a municipal staff working group] the Working Group meeting from March 30, 2001.

The Working Group on Racial Equity (WGRE) notes that in the Volunteer-Coordinating Committees attachment to the draft minutes that a "Committee Against Racism and Discrimination" is proposed under Finance and Corporate Services at City Hall.

You may recall that WGRE had recommended in March 2001 the formation of a Mayor's Anti-Racism Committee in the new city of Hamilton.

We know from the experience of the Mayor's Committee Against Racism and Discrimination (MCARD) that lumping racism with other issues of discrimination usually means that racial minorities' concerns do not get addressed.

The submission from the Working Group on Racial Equity and our report Unfurling The Flag had analysed the problems that beset the old Mayor's Race Relations Committee after its mandate and focus were changed to include all kinds of discrimination issues.

While we believe that all forms of discrimination are abhorrent, the most effective way to address the growing overt and systemic issues of racism is to create a committee with a focus on fighting racism in the new city, as we recommended in our report on the issue, in our brief to you and to Council and in our presentation to the hearings subcommittee.

We are willing to work with other communities/groups to fight other kinds of discrimination. However, it is important that a committee to combat racism, which is persistent and enduring in Canadian society, be given its own "space," decision-making powers, and resources to help City Hall do the job of eliminating racism from the city both efficiently and well.

While we cannot speak for other groups, we ask that racial minorities be allowed and empowered to focus on the issues that affect them, just as the proposed Status of Women Subcommittee will enable women to act on specific concerns.

We are certain that by creating a portmanteau committee on racism and discrimination, the City will only re-create the problems that MCARD faced and will fail to produce any results. We want to work with you to ensure that a targeted anti-racism committee at City Hall delivers the goods in the best and most lasting way.

Therefore, we urge you strongly to recommend the creation of an Anti-Racism Committee-not a Committee Against Racism and Discrimination-under Finance and Corporate Services at City Hall.