(Ottawa, ON – January 16th, 2025) Black Canadians have been running for and serving in elected office for more than 150 years, but most of us know nearly nothing about their experiences. Since 2022, researchers at Carleton University have been working with Operation Black Vote Canada to change that.
Through comprehensive new research and an original four-episode podcast, Black on the Ballot documents what it’s really like to be a Black politician in Canada. We asked them what motivated them to run for office, where they found support (and discouragement), what role identity played in their political experience, and what the future holds. Key findings include:
- Most Black Canadians enter politics at the local level.
- There is little evidence of a gender gap in Black Canadian candidacy: Black women and Black men are almost equally likely to seek elected office. However, Black women are less likely than Black men to consider running for office unless someone has suggested that they do so.
- Most Black Canadians in politics are first- or second-generation Canadians. They tend to enter politics from careers in business, government and politics, and law.
- A lack of financial resources and a shortage of volunteers are key barriers to political success. In addition, a majority of Black Canadian politicians report experiencing discrimination while running for or serving in office, including from members of the public, other politicians, legislative and municipal staff, and in the media.
- Even so, a wide majority of Black Canadians say they would run for office again.
The research is based on the first-ever national survey of Black Canadians in politics as well as more than 30 in-depth interviews with Black Canadian candidates and officeholders from all across the country. The podcast weaves these data together with first-person accounts from Black politicians who reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hosted by award-winning journalist and Carleton University professor Nana aba Duncan, the podcast features:
- Angela Simmonds, Nova Scotia’s first Black Deputy Speaker;
- Kaycee Madu, the country’s first Black Minister of Justice;
- Tiffany Ford, former Toronto District School Board Trustee and City Council candidate;
- Balarama Holness, former mayoral candidate for Montreal.
Listeners will also hear from Jean Augustine, Canada’s first Black woman Member of Parliament, and Zanana Akande, the first Black woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Canada.
Episodes are available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes come out every Wednesday.
For episode links and a copy of the research report, visit blackcanadianpolitics.ca.
Quotes:
“For 20 years, Operation Black Vote Canada has worked to increase the number of Black Canadians in public office. The research in this report is not just a retrospective of the road we have travelled but a forward-looking reflection on the work that still needs to be done. Over the last 20 years, Black Canadians have made strides in political engagement but have also faced considerable barriers. Even so, very little research has looked comprehensively at their experiences in politics. This project is both a celebration of our progress and a call to action for further change.”
– Velma Morgan, project co-director and Chair, Operation Black Vote Canada
“Although Black Canadians have been participating in politics since before Confederation, we have done little to excavate and archive their stories. This project provides a corrective, offering a comprehensive portrait of the Black experience in politics: the trials, the triumphs, the unfinished business. It is long overdue. Its recommendations provide a roadmap to communities, political parties, and institutions wishing to increase diversity and inclusion in Canadian politics. With a federal election on the horizon, this is more important than ever.”
– Erin Tolley, project co-director and Canada Research Chair in Gender, Race, and Inclusive Politics, Carleton University
About Operation Black Vote Canada:
Operation Black Vote Canada (OBVC) is a national, non-profit, multi-partisan organization dedicated to promoting the political participation and empowerment of Black Canadians. Its mission is to engage, educate, and inspire Black Canadians to actively participate in the political process, with a focus on voting, running for office, and overall civic involvement. To find out more, visit obvc.ca
For interviews, please contact:
Velma Morgan
Chair, Operation Black Vote Canada
chair@obvc.ca
Erin Tolley, PhD
Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor, Carleton University
erin.tolley@carleton.ca
“Although Black Canadians have been participating in politics since before Confederation, we have done little to excavate and archive their stories.”
– Erin Tolley, project co-director and Canada Research Chair in Gender, Race, and Inclusive Politics, Carleton University
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