Anti-Asian racism is soaring in Canada. These numbers tell the story

Thestar.com
March 30, 2022

Two years into the pandemic, anti-Asian racism across Canada continues to drastically trend upward.

According to a new report released by the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO) and Project 1907, 943 racist incidents were reported across the country in 2021, representing a 47 per cent increase from the previous year.

Reports from women accounted for nearly two-thirds of all incidents, and reports of assault were a continued trend with incidents of being coughed or spat on increasing by 42 per cent.

“Even as the pandemic evolves, Asian Canadians are still living with the consequences of misguided anger and anti-Asian racism, especially the most vulnerable groups, such as women, children and youth,” said Jessie Tang, the executive director of CCNCTO, in a media release.

Reports by South Asian and Southeast Asian people also increased dramatically compared to 2020, by 318 per cent and 121 per cent respectively.

Kennes Lin, the anti-Asian racism adviser for CCNCTO, told the Star the uptick in reports by South Asian and Southeast Asian people directly relates to their overrepresentation in underpaid, overworked “essential” jobs during the pandemic, which makes them hyper-visible and often the target of abuse.

Incidents occurring in public spaces continue to account for the highest number of reports at 48 per cent.

As to who is committing these acts of anti-Asian racism, nearly 75 per cent of reported incidents identified the perpetrators as men and white.

“Discrimination, racism, violence and hate hurt our community,” Tang said. “This is a systemic issue that requires long-term, committed action by individuals, institutions and governments at all levels and in all sectors.”

CCNCTO and Project 1907 outlined several calls to action for governments and institutions to address anti-Asian racism in Canada and say the incidents cannot be dealt with just on an individual basis.

Those calls to action include the creation of anti-racism programs and training, funding for programs that address systematic violence toward Asian women, the development of training and fellowship programs to bring more Asian women into politics and for policy-makers to consult with a “wide range of diasporic Asian leaders” on issues of anti-Asian racism.

They are also calling for Asian communities to support the National Council of Canadian Muslims in its continued efforts to pass Ontario Bill 86, the Our London Family Act, a “crucial initial step toward ensuring the stymieing of racism and hatred against marginalized communities.”

While the incidents reported provide insight into the overall anti-Asian trends in the country, having the platform to report them also helps mitigate the effects of race-based traumatic stress, said Ellen K, a community organizer from Project 1907, in a media release.

“Because the lives of Asian Canadians are so often marked by experiences of invisibility, our reporting centres play an important role in providing a safe mechanism for community members to regain a sense of control,” Ellen K said.

Lin added that some people who report incidents through the organizations’ platform may have felt dismissed or discouraged from other means of reporting, like going to the police to report a hate crime.

By reporting incidents directly to CCNCTO and Project 1907, it’s one way to externalize the experience and recognize it’s not an isolated incident, Lin said.

Ellen K also pointed out that although the data provides some context about anti-Asian racism in Canada, this report is “just a small peek and not representative of the actual number of incidents.”

“If there’s something to take away from this report, it’s not only the numbers -- it’s the acknowledgment of the systemic pervasiveness and impacts of anti-Asian racism in Canada.”

This is the second collaborative report on anti-Asian racism across Canada from CCNCTO and Project 1907. The organizations released their first report in March 2021.