Human Resources Committee on Oct. 3rd, 2022

[Warren Salmon]

First of all, I'd like to really welcome and applaud the endowment fund. It's really good timing for us because, through the SBCCI, we're looking to become a charity. The other support we're looking for is grant-writing support. We definitely look to apply for the funding. This has really helped to better position us to potentially access these funds.

For other organizations that are smaller.... There are different stages of growth. We've been a volunteer organization. The hope is that, through the funding that we're receiving, we can help to hire some staff, grow and better position ourselves to serve our constituents.

There are also some things that can help smaller entities to really accelerate their growth and better position themselves to serve their constituents and provide services. I think that would be very helpful as well.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I'm going to ask a quick question.

There are always intersections. This committee also does a lot of work with persons with disabilities. MP Dalton and I were up at an event recently where we were working with the Black community and persons with disabilities as an intersection. I wonder if there are any organizations you've been working with over time that you could share with this committee? We do have a study coming up around disability. We want to make sure that we capture that.

I wanted to close out by saying that, if either of you have comments that you'd like to share, then I'll just step back. My last bit of time will be shared with Mr. Haji and Mr. Salmon to put their comments on the record.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Here's your opportunity.

Go ahead, Mr. Salmon.

[Warren Salmon]

As far as disabilities, I could submit that to the committee at another point in time. No one really comes to mind. There are a lot of different organizations that we work with in different capacities.

Again, I just want to thank the committee and the government for these efforts to help to support us, help us grow and really help support the Black community. It's long overdue, as Mr. Coteau alluded to. The percentage has to be more reflective. I think there's still work to do to get us to that point. I really applaud these efforts and I hope that we can continue to work towards that.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Mr. Haji.

[Sharif Haji]

Thank you for the question on intersectionality. It is something that we deal with. People with disabilities are on one side. There are other intersectionalities as well, whether it is sexual orientation, other religious beliefs and all of those kinds of things within the Black population's diversity.

I will be able to provide some organizations that we have funded through SBCCI of those who have the mission of providing services to people with disabilities. I will provide that to you via email.

The only other piece I wanted to add that I was not able to capture is that, despite our efforts to reach Black-led organizations in the west, a gap still exists. I wanted to highlight that. We want to cover as many as we can. There's still a gap in the western provinces of Canada. There are very few updates. In some provinces such as Manitoba, when you compare it with the rest of our provinces, even when population is considered.... This kind of regional inequity is something that we need to start looking into in terms of addressing it.

That was something I wanted to highlight in my first five minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo and Mr. Salmon, and thank you, Mr. Haji, for your presentation.

That concludes the witness round of questions from the committee.

I would remind the committee that the Wednesday schedule, as it sits, is to hear from the final group of witnesses in the first hour. The second hour will be drafting instructions on the report as well as anything else you want to bring.

Thank you, committee members, and thank you to the witnesses for your time presenting today.

The meeting is adjourned.