Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, has issued the following statement on Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s report, In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care:

“Our government is determined to tackle systemic racism in all its forms. My appointment as Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives is part of that commitment. I look forward to supporting the work required to address the findings in Dr. Turpel-Lafond’s report.

“That support will include engaging British Columbians to create a new anti-racism act and working with the human rights commissioner and others to pave the way for race-based data collection to help reduce systemic discrimination in various sectors, including health care. Our cross-government approach includes anti-racism measures under the Stronger BC plan and the Resilience BC anti-racism network to help communities address discrimination and the broader issues of systemic and institutionalized racism. 

“We recognize our moral and ethical responsibility to fight discrimination wherever it occurs. Today’s report helps guide us all towards a safer, more inclusive British Columbia.” 

Learn More:

To read Turpel-Lafond’s report, visit: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/613/2020/11/In-Plain-Sight-Summary-Report.pdf