SPNO Solidarity Statement with the Black Community

The Social Planning Network of Ontario (SPNO) has always and will continue to speak out against systemic inequality, racism and all forms of injustice that plague our society. Today we take a stand against the police violence and brutality that has been, and continues to be perpetrated against Black people and protestors here in Canada, the United States and abroad.  Although media attention typically focuses on events in the US, Canadians must acknowledge that Canada cannot be absolved from practicing systemic racism, as some of our leaders would suggest. We recognize that police/state violence is an engrained, long-standing component of structural racism and white supremacy in Canada and elsewhere. Without that acknowledgement and a concerted effort by all of us, it will not change.

We would like to direct you to resources recently shared by one of our affiliate organizations the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. These resources can assist all of us in deepening our understanding of racial injustice. They can also direct us to Black-led organizations whose voices and calls to action, we can amplify and/or support with financial contributions: