Key concepts

The subconscious and conscious beliefs, biases, and feelings a person has that affects how they interact with and perceive others. Racism can range from biases and microaggressions to slurs, physical violence, and attacks. 

Racism can come in many forms but often stems from myths, false stereotypes, and a lack of education. 

All forms of racism involve assigning or taking away privilege, access, or value based on someone’s race or ethnicity. Racism is often used to categorize or separate people into groups, which can result in exclusion, physical and emotional harm, or dehumanization, and has been a tool to influence public and foreign policy and specific agendas. 

Racism is more than a harmful act. It can impact people’s health, safety, ability to work, play, live, and even exist in society. It can also be subtle and, at times, inadvertent. Recognizing racism can be difficult, but it’s important to approach it with an open mind, acknowledging your biases, prejudices, and mistakes, and commit to educating yourself and asking questions.

You can find a detailed overview of racism on the Canadian Human Rights Commission website. You can also view the video below created by RISE for more information related to racism, including interpersonal racism and systemic racism.

The implicit or explicit rules, regulations, policies, practices, procedures, or laws that limit certain groups’ equal access to services opportunities, or spaces because of their race. The words systemic and structural are often used interchangeably and mean the same thing. 

Systemic racism is about the systems in Canada that allow people of European origin to maintain power by excluding other racial groups. These systems include things like healthcare, education, employment, child welfare, our judicial system, and much more. 

Even though the impacts of systemic racism are clear, it can be difficult to see systemic racism because it's so interwoven in our culture. The Honourable Murray Sinclair, lawyer and former member of the Canadian Senate, explains the term by stating "systemic racism is the racism that's left over after you get rid of the racists." An article written by Takwa Souissi for the Canadian Encyclopedia provides valuable insights into understanding systemic racism in Canada. 

The following image of an iceberg illustrates some of the less visible aspects of systemic racism below the water's surface.

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Discrimination has been defined as the differential treatment of people based on race, religion, caste, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status with the intention of inflicting harm. The harm might be violent or physical, but it can also involve restricting access to resources, jobs, and a fair quality of life. A detailed explanation of discrimination and the varied forms it takes can be found on the Canadian Human Rights Commission website.

This image depicts the "pyramid of hate," illustrating the various levels of actions and behaviors stemming from prejudice and bias. It clearly shows how hate can escalate into violence and highlights that seemingly "harmless" jokes, words, or attitudes can grow into more harmful behaviors. It is important to recognize how individuals can contribute to these behaviours, which can evolve into structural and institutional issues. 

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Graphic sourced from the Anti-Defemation League. 

According to the Ontario Human Rights commission, Ableism refers to attitudes in society that devalue and limit the potential of persons with disabilities. Ableism refers to the prejudices, beliefs, and harmful attitudes or behaviours directed toward people with disabilities, often based on the belief that enabled individuals are superior. 

This type of hate manifests in two ways. On an individual level, hate and intolerance lead to harassment, harmful language, slurs, and violence. On a systemic level, Ableism creates cultural and social barriers, resulting in unequal access to employment, public and private spaces, and barriers to inclusion and meaningful participation in society. 

Ableism stems from a lack of education, stereotypes, and implicit biases about individuals with different physical, mental, or intellectual disabilities. This definition includes not only those with physical or mental impairments but also those with severe or chronic illnesses, cognitive challenges, and sensory or emotional challenges. 

You can find a foundational explanation of Ableism on the  Ontario Human Rights Commission’s website. 

Among the various communities, this type of hate stems from an aversion, opposition, hatred, or intolerance of the specific identity. 

Historically, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals have experienced both verbal and physical acts of violence, as well as removal from mass media, and limited from equal participation in society on a legal and structural level, including things like healthcare access, and through exclusionary laws and regulations. This includes discrimination, assault, exclusion, and harassment. 

These communities often face micro-aggressions, slurs, or inappropriate slang and harmful words. There are many misconceptions about these communities, each of which has unique understandings and ways of expressing their identity. 

People may face prejudice based on their cultural background, nationality, or language, which can be closely related to race but often involves specific ethnic identities. This form of discrimination is closely linked to racism and can include stereotyping where people from certain backgrounds are thought to possess certain characteristics or show certain behaviours. For example, a landlord refusing to rent an apartment to people from a certain background.

To learn more, visit The Encyclopedia of World Problems & Human Potential webpage.

Intolerance based on a person’s religious beliefs or practices. It is rooted in negative beliefs or attitudes towards a person’s religion. For example, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Hindus or Sikhs.

To learn more, visit the Canadian Human Rights Commission webpage.

When an individual faces discrimination based on more than one identity. For example, a Black woman may face both racism and religious hate if she wears a hijab, which creates unique forms of discrimination. 

To learn more about intersectionality visit the Government of Canada webpage.