We believe that community safety, institutional trust, and economic participation are deeply interconnected. As Canada’s first bilingual Black chamber of commerce, representing professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders across Manitoba, we know that hate-motivated violence and racial intimidation directly undermine entrepreneurship, workforce participation, and the investment confidence required for a thriving economy.
It is with this responsibility in mind that BMCC recently submitted a formal written brief to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights as part of its study of Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act. Our message to Parliament is clear: “If we are not at the table, we are on the menu.”
The Reality of Anti-Black Hate in Canada
The data presents a clear call to action. In 2023, police-reported hate crimes in Canada increased by 32 percent, with race- or ethnicity-motivated incidents forming the largest category. While national reporting often relies on aggregated data, multiple analyses of police-reported statistics demonstrate that Black Canadians consistently experience the highest rates of hate crime victimization among racialized groups.
These are not abstract numbers. They reflect lived realities across the country, including:
- In June 2025, an attack at Neelin High School in Brandon, Manitoba resulted in attempted murder charges, with police leadership publicly citing racial ideology and identifying the victim as a Black student.
- In Nova Scotia, incidents involving nooses and burning crosses have been investigated as recently as 2023 and 2024.
Across Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec, police continue to report hate-motivated assaults and threats explicitly targeting Black individuals.
Taken together, these incidents demonstrate that anti-Black hate in Canada is persistent, current, and national in scope.
Why “Race-Neutral” Laws Fall Short
BMCC does not oppose Bill C-9. However, our analysis shows that the bill, as currently drafted, relies heavily on “race-neutral” legal frameworks that have historically failed to protect Black communities from hate-motivated harm.
Under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, equality is substantive, not merely formal. This requires lawmakers to examine the real-world impacts of legislation on groups that experience systemic disadvantage. Where harm is specific, persistent, and well documented, legislative silence is not neutral, it carries legal and practical consequences.
A hate-crime framework that does not explicitly recognize anti-Black hate risks rendering Black Canadians invisible within the justice system and perpetuating unequal protection under the law.
Critical Gaps Identified by BMCC
In its submission, BMCC identified several areas where Bill C-9 must be strengthened to ensure equal protection in practice:
- Symbols of Racial Terror: The bill does not explicitly prohibit symbols such as the noose, burning cross, and white pointed hood, each historically used to intimidate and terrorize Black communities.
- Ku Klux Klan Designation: Despite a documented history of racially motivated violence that meets the Criminal Code definition of terrorism, the Ku Klux Klan remains absent from Canada’s list of terrorist entities.
- Lack of Meaningful Consultation: There is no public record of structured consultation with Black communities during the development of Bill C-9.
Enforcement and Oversight Risks: Weakening oversight mechanisms risks expanding discretionary enforcement in systems where Black Canadians are already disproportionately subjected to surveillance and policing.
BMCC’s Recommendations
To ensure that Bill C-9 delivers meaningful protection and withstands constitutional scrutiny, BMCC has called on Parliament to:
- Expand prohibited hate symbols to include the noose, burning cross, and white pointed hood.
- Mandate a formal review and designation of the Ku Klux Klan as a terrorist organization.
- Maintain Attorney General oversight and establish independent Black community advisory mechanisms.
- Commit to the development of a stand-alone federal Anti-Black Hate Act.
- Implement transparent, ongoing national consultation with Black-led organizations.
BMCC brings an evidence-informed, community-grounded perspective to this work because economic participation, public safety, and justice are inseparable. Our members’ ability to succeed depends on a legal framework that delivers equal protection in practice, not merely in principle.
BMCC will continue to advocate, whether invited into the room or not, for a justice system that reflects Canada’s constitutional commitments and protects all communities from hate-motivated harm.
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