About the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat

Who we are

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, within the Department of Canadian Heritage, coordinates federal action and drives Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022. The Strategy was created based on what was heard during a national community engagement process in 2018-2019.

What we do

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat leads a whole-of-government approach to working with federal organizations, other orders of government and civil society, to identify systemic racial barriers and gaps, develop new initiatives, and consider the impacts of new and existing policies, services and programs on racialized, Indigenous and religious minority communities.

This work builds towards longer-term federal actions against racism and discrimination in Canada.

What guides us

The Secretariat is driven by a vision of Canada as an inclusive society, free of systemic racism, where everyone can fully participate in the economic, cultural, social and political spheres, reach their full potential and live with dignity.

Our work is guided by the values of justice, equity, human rights, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, intersectionality, integrity, anti-oppression, and reconciliation. It seeks to implement a GBA+ approach and is guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action (PDF format) and the Calls for Justice of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Word format).