City of Windsor anti-racism initiative criticized as inadequate
“This is a PR campaign. This $200,00 in PR,” said Coun. Rino Bortolin about the City of Windsor’s newly-approved anti-racism initiative.
Author of the article:
Dalson Chen
Publishing date:
Jul 19, 2021 • 10 hours ago • 4 minute read • 7 Comments
Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Windsor in June 2020. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star
A $200,000 anti-racism initiative by the City of Windsor is being criticized as lacking in real action and consultation on race issues.
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“We have yet to experience any meaningful engagement initiated by this municipal body or the mayor or anyone in the administration,” said Leslie McCurdy, acting chair of the Black Council of Windsor-Essex, during an online meeting of city council on Monday.
McCurdy said it’s “disingenuous, at best” that the Black Council of Windsor-Essex was listed as a consulted group on the initiative.
According to McCurdy, the municipality’s conversations with its black community have been “superficial and controlled.”
She argued that the initiative is “not nearly enough,” and pointed to cities such as Chicago and Toronto, where there has been multi-million-dollar spending on housing reparations and funding for Black artists and businesses.
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McCurdy said the Black Council of Windsor-Essex looks forward to “more meaningful and intentional actions” by the city, such as targeted infrastructure grants and Black hiring.
The City of Windsor anti-racism initiative was sparked by last summer’s widespread Black Lives Matters demonstrations after the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Part of the basis for the initiative was a community survey launched by Mayor Drew Dilkens and administrative staff, meant to focus on anti-Black racism.
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The initiative was then developed in partnership with the Multicultural Council (MCC) of Windsor and Essex County.
A total of $200,000 in funding will be used for an awareness campaign, training initiatives, internships and mentorships, bursaries and scholarships, development grants, and “heritage interpretation and storytelling.”
Kathleen Thomas, executive director of the MCC, emphasized that the anti-racism initiative that went before council on Monday was a proposal.
“We don’t do community consultations and discussions with the proposal itself,” she said. “If it’s approved, then the work starts.”
WIndsor Mayor Drew Dilkens attends a Black Lives Matter demonstration in June 2020. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star
Council debated the initiative on Monday for more than three hours, ending with approval by a vote of 7-2.
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Ward 3 councillor Rino Bortolin and Ward 4 councillor Chris Holt were the two votes against the initiative, both saying that it does not meet its goals as presented.
“This is a PR campaign. This is $200,000 of PR,” Bortolin said.
“Are we actually looking to accomplish something, or are we looking to look like we are trying to do something?”
Bortolin argued that support for multiculturalism and specific work in anti-racism are not the same thing: He feels the initiative does nothing to address heated issues such as Black Lives Matter and violent Islamophobia.
Bortolin added that he is disappointed not only with the lack of consultation on the initiative, but with aspects of council’s discussion on Monday.
“This video (of Monday’s meeting) will be used as an example of how slight and simple things are actually part of systemic racism in general,” Bortolin said. “This is a complete lack of understanding of what we are here to do.”
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Bortolin questioned Christopher Menard — who authored a report on the initiative and works out of the mayor’s office as the city’s cultural development co-ordinator — about the community survey behind the initiative.
Bortolin noted that the survey did not ask respondents how they identify in terms of racial and cultural background.
“This is an anti-racism survey,” Bortolin said, incredulously. “You are using this survey to inform an anti-racism initiative.”
Participants in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in downtown Windsor in June 2020. Photo by Dax Melmer /Windsor Star
The majority of the respondents to the survey said they do not belong to any Black organization, and a significant number of respondents described a roundtable discussion on anti-racism as “not valuable.”
“Why did we not ask specifically who was taking this survey?” Bortolin said. “What we take away from this survey, to me, is all garbage.”
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Menard replied: “The survey was constructed to facilitate future conversations.”
Menard argued that by not asking specifics on racial identity, the survey allowed respondents to be more free and revealing in their answers — even if the answers themselves showed that racism exists in Windsor. “This survey was one of the ways we know that is true.”
Meanwhile, Holt feels the initiative doesn’t fulfil council’s intentions when funding was budgeted in the wake of the BLM movement in the summer of 2020.
“I don’t believe we have the information in front of us to address what council chose to do,” Holt said.
Holt added that his vote of non-approval is not a criticism of the MCC.
Holt said that while everyone understands $200,000 is not going to “end racism,” the initiative is “guaranteed not to get there if we water it down too much.”
“This needs to be a laser-focus on anti-racism,” Holt said.
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But Mayor Drew Dilkens said he is proud of the initiative.
“This… is a good starting point, a fair starting point, and it will make a difference in the lives of many individuals in the community,” Dilkens said.
“We’re going to do great things and start here, and then we’ll revisit and fine-tune.”
Dilkens said he has had 16 meetings with community leaders and groups on anti-Black racism since last summer.
“Even Leslie McCurdy mentioned that this is a good start, recognizing that more needs to be done,” Dilkens said.
Dilkens added that he is very appreciative of the MCC — “notwithstanding the anger that was thrown at them today by some.”
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