Opinion: Propelling a system that pits under-represented communities against one another is not equity work. Equity work is about making room for all voices to be heard and represented, even if at times that means getting out of the way yourself.
Last week, the process to appoint a citizen member by regional council to the Peel Police Services Board pitted a well-respected social justice activist from the Muslim community, Ahmad Attia, against Len Carby, a community leader with an exemplary record of advocacy on equity issues impacting the Black community.Communities seeking representation should not have to lobby for votes and be caught between factions of political allies and rivals.
Black youth continue to face discrimination and racial injustice. Just recently, ministry supervision was lifted from the Peel District School Board after two years due to a scathing report on the board’s inability to address systemic anti-Black racism. Investigators found a toxic environment and significant concerns of anti-Black racism, including excessive discipline used with Black students, frequent police involvement, and reports of Black educators being routinely passed for promotions.
Why is there only one citizen appointment available to the region? Why do we need three sitting members of regional council to be on the board? Why don’t any of those three members reflect 69 per cent of Peel’s population who do not identify as white? The Peel experience could have been different if more positions were available for local citizen appointments. Instead of having figure heads, the regional chair and the two mayors as council appointees to the board, appointments should solely focus on community members who bring experience both lived and professional.
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