24th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Act

Date: October 28, 2020

On the morning of September 22, 1988, the Redress Agreement between the Japanese Canadian community and the Government of Canada was concluded. Rising in the House of Commons later that day, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney apologized for the wrongs perpetrated by the Government of Canada against the Japanese community both during and after World War II, and pledged that the Government of Canada would ensure, to the limits of its powers, that such injustice would never occur again.

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation was created as a direct result of the Redress Agreement. The CRRF, created through legislation that was given Royal Assent on February 1, 1991 and proclaimed on October 28, 1996, expressed the desire of the Japanese Canadian community to create an organization that would fight racism and act as a bridge-builder between communities.

Today, 24 years later, the pain of racism and discrimination are felt by many across the nation. We see a rise in anti-black racism, anti-Asian sentiment, Islamophobia, antisemitism, religious discrimination, in an ever more polarized world. Equally, Indigenous communities are increasingly facing discrimination and much more is needed to achieve the promise of reconciliation.

Our commitment and resolve to fight racism is strong, and we look forward to working with communities to find new solutions, to create real change. Working together, we ensure that 50 years from now, the generations who follow will have no need to apologize for the decisions of our generation.