Latest city of Toronto anti-racism campaign focuses on prejudice against people of East Asian descent

Thestar.com
Oct. 14, 2020
David Rider

The city of Toronto’s latest anti-racism campaign takes aim at prejudice against people of East Asian descent that has worsened, advocates say, during the pandemic.

The city partnered with the local chapter of the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) on a social media campaign designed to expose the problem, dispel myths and stereotypes, and teach everyone how to confront such racism when they see it.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in incidents of racism against all East Asian communities in Toronto,” states a city news release about the campaign issued Tuesday.

The campaign “focuses on stereotypes such as the ‘perpetual foreigner’ and ‘model minority,’ and hurtful and absurd statements like ‘Go back to China’” -- a common insult suggesting people don’t have a right to be in Canada.

CCNC’s Toronto chapter says just over one quarter of 600 reported anti-East Asian racism incidents in Canada since the start of the pandemic happened in Toronto. COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China, and has been branded the “China Virus” by U.S. President Donald Trump and others.

Part of the campaign is a video featuring Torontonians describing racist acts -- including an Asian shopper being coughed upon and mocked -- and urging people to call it out.

Links to personal stories of anti-Asian racism across Canada include Toronto emergency room nurse Katherine Cheung being told to go back where she came from, among other racial slurs, and spat upon, by a woman in a restaurant.

Mayor John Tory also recorded a video saying such bigotry has no place in Toronto.

Amy Go, president of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice, said in a statement that “the city of Toronto’s timely and responsive action should be emulated by all levels of government across the country.”

Nine past “Toronto for all” awareness campaigns have sought to educate Torontonians about homelessness, racism against Black Muslim people and Indigenous residents, intimate partner violence and more.