Be the Change: Anti-racism tools and resources for the Defence Team

February 28, 2023 - Defence Stories

Confronting systemic racism and discrimination within the Defence Team is critical to building a workplace environment that is respectful and inclusive for all.

Efforts are well underway at all levels of the Defence Team to address institutional and systemic barriers that enable racism, discrimination, biases, and harmful stereotypes in our workplace. In support of this work, the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture organization has launched a new digital resource hub for Combatting systemic racism and racial discrimination in the Defence Team. This digital resource hub—accessible on Canada.ca—was developed by the Director, Anti-racism Implementation (formerly the Anti-racism Secretariat). It offers tools and resources to help Defence Team members increase their awareness and understanding of racism and foster a more inclusive workplace.

The digital resource hub features an Anti-racism toolkit with easy-to-use, practical tools you can use to support culture evolution within the Defence Team. The toolkit includes a Guide to Courageous Conversations on Racism and Discrimination, designed to help you have those difficult but important conversations on race and racial discrimination. It also offers a number of tips and tools that you can use on your path to learning and developing to support the Defence Team in advancing culture change. Topics include:

• How to be an ally - Learn the small habits that will help you create an inclusive environment for your racialized colleagues.
• How to have courageous conversations – Learn how to have conversations about race that raise awareness and build empathy.
• Myth busters – Read facts that confront commonly held myths about employment equity and explain the false ideas around employment equity that perpetuate discrimination and biases.
• Common anti-racism terminology – Explore common words and terminology you will hear in the ongoing dialogue to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Essential questions to apply an anti-racism lens – Find questions you can use to reflect on your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors about racism and discrimination.
• Comparison of attitudes: racist vs ally vs anti-racist – Learn to recognize and challenge behaviours and practices that reinforce systemic racism and racial discrimination.

There is also an Anti-racism learning hub page, which offers a curated list of training and educational resources on anti-racism, equity, inclusion and diversity, and an Anti-racism lexicon.

For those who may have been affected by racism or racial discrimination and want to find support or share their lived experience, there is also a page with information about how to get help and assistance.

To build a truly inclusive Defence Team, in which our racialized colleagues feel heard and empowered, every one of us must be willing to confront discrimination, oppression, and biases, and create a positive environment.

Whether you are new to the topic of anti-racism or consider yourself engaged and aware, there is always room to learn more and act decisively to further evolve our culture. Visit Combatting systemic racism and racial discrimination in the Defence Team to learn more and be a force for change.