'Hoodstock' social forum aims to create dialogue around racism in Quebec

Discussions about systemic racism, discrimination and poverty were all on the agenda Saturday during the third annual Hoodstock social forum in Montreal.

Organizers say the aim of the event was to discuss issues that affect not just the black community, but all racialized communities.

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Speakers from Montreal and other cities were invited to discuss what can be done to address issues such as housing, employment opportunities, racial profiling and diversity and the portrayal of visible minorities in Quebec media, as well as highlight positive measures already in place.

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Will Prosper, one of the organizers, explained that they decided to hold the event in Montreal North, a neighbourhood he said is home to residents directly affected by the issues at hand, instead of downtown as part of the World Social Forum.

"We have to make this conversation accessible to people who live in the neighbourhood so they can participate," he told Radio-Canada.

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'We're fed up'

One solution put forward was to hold a commission into what organizers say is systemic racism in Quebec, similar to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established in order to inform Canadians about what happened in residential schools.

"It's been a long time that we've been saying we live through a lot of injustice and that there's systemic racism in Quebec, but unfortunately it's not recognized. Our experiences aren't taken into account, and we're fed up," said Hoodstock organizer Gabriella Kint.

Prosper mentioned racial profiling, wage gaps between visible minorities and white people, and issues with hiring practices within the provincial public service as issues that need to be dealt with.

"A black person has seven times more chances of being arrested for possession of marijuana than a white person. Why are there so many disparities like that? Today, we're saying we have to fight against those disparities, we have to find solutions. Hoodstock is one of those solutions," Prosper said.

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When asked about the topics discussed at the event, Liberal cabinet minister Rita De Santispreferredto talk about integration rather thandiscrimination.

"We have to make sure that if we accept immigrants, that they do what's necessary to integrate and we do our part to help them integrate," shesaid.

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