BC’s Anti-Racism Data Act, which was introduced in early May, received royal assent Thursday..BC Premier John Horgan and Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-racism Initiatives Rachna Singh touched on the province’s plan to introduce what it calls “anti-racism data legislation” in late March when calling on BC to stand together against racism, suggesting racist incidents had been increasing in “staggering” fashion..“We are seeing a rise in white supremacy and brazen displays of hateful speech, symbols and acts that many hoped we had left behind us. Now more than ever, we must come together as a society to stand against this rising hate and say: ‘No more,” read a joint statement from Horgan and Singh amid the presumed “staggering" increase..Fast forward three months, the proposed legislation is now enshrined in BC law, and the province now beginning to collect “intersectional demographic data,” such as age, gender identity, and ethnic origin..The move will, as the province puts it, break down barriers and help identify interconnected issues such as economic status, employment, and outcomes in healthcare..A new anti-racism data committee will also be formed in the coming months in order to support the collection of said data..The committee will be comprised of “community members” who will collaborate with the province, determining how best to gather data in a manner that “eliminates systemic racism in the public sector.”.“The data collected through the new Anti-Racism Data Act will shine a light on where barriers exist in government programs so that together with racialized communities, we can make improvements and create a more equitable province for everyone,” said Attorney General David Eby..Officials say safeguards will be in place to protect data and make sure the information is used to help communities..“We know that some racialized people are hesitant to share their personal information with government because of its history of colonialism and oppressing people of colour,” said Singh..“It is only by working in partnership with communities that we can create trust and build transformative programs that truly support everyone in this province.”
