Established in 1967, the Canadian Arab Federation is an anti-racist, non-partisan and non-profit organization which represents Canadian Arabs on issues relating to public policy. CAF raises awareness of issues that affect the Canadian Arab community through media relations and non-partisan government relations.
Poverty is a harsh reality, Mr. Chair, for the majority of Canadians but in particular for racialized and immigrant communities in Canada. We strongly believe that poverty increases the marginalization and victimization of racialized communities and individuals who are already at a disadvantage because of racial inequality. The Arab community in Canada is experiencing this reality first hand. In the last decade, the Arab community, long a presence in Canada, has seen its economic circumstances decline. We believe this is the result of policies that have marginalized the community and in particular, of growing racial tensions and intolerance toward the Arab and Muslim communities.
The events of September 11 have certainly proven to be a catalyst for many changes that have affected the Arab community. A number of bills have been introduced and passed. These include the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Public Safety Act. For example, the provisions respecting the use of security certificates arising from the Immigration Act, as well as extradition policies, have made Arab Canadians the target of discrimination and their fundamental human rights have been denied them. One need only consider the fate of individuals such as Maher Arar, Abdullah Almalki, Muayyed Nureddin and Ahmad Abou El Maati.
Bill C-36, the Anti-Terrorist Act, helped to promote policies which, in our opinion, have further marginalized Arab communities. Instances of racial profiling and the targeting of these communities at various levels of Canadian society have increased. Media reports and the comments of certain political leaders have merely reinforced this existing negative image and perception held by Canadians. In our opinion, Canadians' feelings of intolerance toward Arab and Muslim communities have intensified.
Now I will turn to English to give you a sense of those studies and a clear indication of the highest increase of intolerance against Arab Canadians. The Maclean's poll on religion in 2009, a recent study, shows they surveyed more than 1,000 selected Canadians on religion. I'm quoting here what the survey said:
Those findings leave little doubt that Canadians with a Christian background travel through life benefiting from a broad tendency of their fellow citizens to view their religion more favourably than any other. Across Canada, 72 per cent said they have a “generally favourable opinion” of Christianity. At the other end of the spectrum, Islam scored the lowest favourability rating, just 28 per cent.
The Journal of Canadian Ethnic Studies in fall 2004, according to the survey conducted by Leger Marketing in September 2002, 33% of Canadian respondents declared they had heard racist comments against Muslims and Arabs. In November 2002 another survey by Maclean's magazine, Global TV, and the Ottawa Citizen indicated that 44% of Canadians wanted a reduction of immigration from Muslim countries. The highest percentage was in Quebec, with 48%, versus 45% in Ontario, 42% in Saskatchewan, 43% in Manitoba, 39% in the Maritimes, and 35% in British Columbia and Alberta. The average percentage in favour of a reduction of immigration from Arab countries was 49% a year earlier.
These figures show there is a definite increase in intolerance and racism toward the Arab and Muslim community in Canada, and of course, that in turn will economically impact the Arab community.
Statistics Canada showed that in 2002 Arab and West Asian Canadians had the highest rate of unemployment among racialized communities at 40%. In certain regions, such as Quebec, for example, Arabs of North African origin have a record of unemployment of 33.5%.
I'll give you an example of 200 doctors who went through the process to be recognized in Quebec to get their certification, and those 200 doctors had difficulty a year later to find hospitals to hire them. The Children's Aid Society of Toronto conducted a study called Greater Trouble in Greater Toronto: Child Poverty in the GTA. That study found that one in three children of Arab and West Asian descent live under the poverty line. A York University census study revealed that in 2001, 33% of Arab and West Asian groups in Canada live below the poverty line. Arab businessmen have seen a decrease in revenue post-9/11 due to travel restrictions and security checks.
We have also a few proposals to make to the committee in terms of how to address the situation. We think the federal government must acknowledge and address systemic barriers to inclusion as well as persistent experience of racial discrimination by adopting a racial equity outcome measure to all its legislation, programs, and public policies. The federal government must take a leadership role by developing a national poverty reduction approach, time-specific and measurable, which targets those most vulnerable, and I mean the racialized communities. The federal government should restore funding to provinces and territories for child care programs and increase funding for child care across Canada.
Racialized women are one of the biggest victims of poverty, and therefore there is a strong need for targeted programming strategies to help alleviate their suffering. EI reform should target women of colour, immigrant workers, refugees, and vulnerable workers as a priority.
The government should consider strategies such as paid internships and subsidies and/or tax incentives for employers who practise employment equity and any other measures that will make possible labour market integration for equity-seeking groups.
All provinces and territories that receive investments and allocations from the federal government must be required to meet the federal employment equity program targets for any jobs that are created as a result. There is a need for desegregated data, and this is a major and strong issue for our communities and for racialized communities.
Finally, we want to remind the government to put forward policies that will combat racism and balance anti-terrorism with human rights and civil liberties.
Thank you.