Atlantic region Black politicians want to build trust in politics in their communities

Black politicians from Atlantic Canada say they need to do more to encourage racialized communities to participate in the political system.

Five members of the Canadian Congress of Black Parliamentarians met in Halifax Wednesday following a national meeting earlier this month in Ottawa involving politicians of colour from all levels of government.

Congress co-founder Tony Ince, a Nova Scotia Liberal member of the legislature, says the biggest challenge for politicians of colour is engaging with communities that don't have faith in the political system.

Ince says it's the responsibility of politicians such as himself to "do better" to educate constituents and show them they have a voice.

The group says it is committed to ensuring that legislation at all levels of government reflects the issues of concern in racialized communities.

It says those issues include access to housing, equity in health care and in education, and opportunities for economic development.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check outBeing Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.