Canadian Senators will be offered a chance to undergo training to help them deal with an “unconscious bias” they may have. The course, which comes with a $15,000 tag, will not be made mandatory..It follows complaints from one senator of “racist micro-aggression” on Parliament Hill, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“We did not want a negative reaction from senators or the public, that we thought there were any biases in the Senate,” said Sen. Mobina Jaffer (B.C.)..“I myself have biases. We all have biases. We thought this was a better way.”.“The unconscious bias training opportunity being proposed today consists of an online, self-paced, e-learning course that would provide the Senate community with key foundational knowledge and skill to understand unconscious bias, the different types of bias that exist, how they impact us in many aspects of our personal and professional lives, and some of the practical strategies we can use to manage our biases and reduce their negative aspects.”.Genevieve Garneau, a human resources manager with the Senate, said attendance was not compulsory..“We will be marketing the course as voluntary – we encourage our employers and senators to do the training, but there will not be a mechanism to force anyone or to monitor closely to suggest anyone should be forced”, she said..Sen. Wanda Thomas Bernard (N.S.), former chair of the Senate human rights committee, in 2019 said she encountered bigotry on Parliament Hill..“I don’t wear a sign that says I’m a Senator so when I am in public spaces and people don’t recognize me, I am treated with the same kind of discrimination that faces other people of African descent in this country,” Bernard said in an interview with Blacklock’s Reporter..“It’s like a thousand little cuts.”.“If I as a Senator have to deal with this, where are we? And what hope is there for the critical mass of people of African descent in this country?.“Racism is actually a form of violence. Every time you experience that, it’s a micro-violent act.”.Bernard recounted one incident in which she was the only passenger attempting to board a Senate bus who was asked for identification..“I was the only person of African descent on the bus, and the only one who was asked for ID,” she said..“I had to unbutton my coat to find my Senate pin. Nobody else who got on that bus was asked for ID. The driver knew.”. Trudeau blackface-moreTrudeau in blackface .Bernard, a Liberal appointee, in the 2019 election campaign also criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for repeatedly being in blackface at social events..“I came to realize it epitomizes how deeply rooted racism is in our country, how deeply rooted privilege and power is in our country,” Bernard said at the time..“These were socially-sanctioned events. It tells me racism is socially acceptable in our country.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
