The Black Screen Office (BSO) is calling for further amendments to Bill C-11 to ensure that all references to “racialized” Canadians within it be changed to “Black and other racialized.”

BSO executive director John Jenkinson was among the witnesses who spoke before the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications about the proposed updated to the Broadcasting Act, known as the Online Streaming Act, via video conference on Tuesday (Sept. 20). She mentioned the importance of having language in the bill that will further prioritize greater equity and inclusion in the Canadian broadcasting system, noting the BSO welcomes “these references in C-11 to serve the needs and interests of racialized Canadians.”

“But wherever the word ‘racialized’ is used, we ask that it be replaced with ‘Black and other racialized.’ We request this amendment as recognition that there has historically been greater oppression of Black Canadians and greater barriers to inclusion than with other racialized Canadians,” said Jenkinson via video conference.

“For example, in a 2019 Statistics Canada survey, 45% of Black Canadians expressed that they had experienced discrimination in the past five years compared to 27% for other visible minorities. This discrimination can play itself out in education, health care, employment, housing, and yes, the Canadian screen industries. Lumping Black Canadians in with all other racialized Canadians poses the risk that policy and regulation will not consider the specific needs and challenges of Black communities.”

Jenkinson said the BSO also made the same request several months ago before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, proposing that all 10 references to “racialized” in C-11 be amended to read “Black and other racialized.” The references are in amendments to the Act to ensure the industry serves and supports the needs and interests of all Canadians, and that there are employment opportunities for — and programming created and produced by — members of Indigenous, Black or other racialized communities.

“For reasons unknown, the Heritage Committee chose to amend four of the 10 references. Unfortunately, this random approach to improving legislation leaves it open to challenge and interpretation should it be passed in this lane,” she said. “There may not be a clear direction to the CRTC to enact policy and regulation that would target Canadian content for Black audiences and made by Black talent. This in turn could lead to legal challenges, as stakeholders argue whether particular circumstances lead to addressing the specific needs of Black Canadians, or whether they are to be combined with all other racialized Canadians.”

Jenkinson pointed to the need for more stories reflecting the diverse range of Canadian Black experiences and communities, beyond “limited exceptions such as the sitcom Da Kink in My Hair, which is about a Caribbean-Canadian hair salon, and the drama Diggstown, about Black Nova Scotian lawyers.”

“Where are the stories about Haitians in Quebec, the Africans in Lethbridge, Alberta — one of the fastest growing Black communities in Canada, by the way — or just everyday Black Canadians living their lives in romcoms, sitcoms, sci-fi shows, kids shows and documentaries?” she said.

“Appropriate CRTC regulation can ensure that Black Canadians and Canadians of all Black backgrounds have the choice to watch Canadian content that reflects Black Canadian experiences, and Black talent can have the opportunities to create that content.”

Other witnesses on Tuesday included Lisa Valencia-Svensson, managing director of the Racial Equity Media Collective (REMC), who noted the organization supports the BSO’s proposal. She also called on the Senate committee to “make a strong recommendation to the government that the act be accompanied by clear government directives that focus on putting in place a system of accountability, which will then ensure the full implementation of the equity and inclusion objectives of the Act.”

Valencia-Svensson said the REMC wants those directives to accomplish four specific goals: to ensure the collection of race-based data, in consultation with Black, Indigenous and people of colour communities; to require that the CRTC regularly reports to ministers on progress towards meeting the equity and inclusion objectives of the Act; that senior equity officers be installed in major institutions such as the Department of Heritage and the CRTC; and that there be regular consultations with racialized communities on the creation of equity and inclusion targets and benchmarks in order to mark progress.

The REMC is also aligned with organizations like ACTRA and the Directors Guild of Canada in calling for an amendment to ensure the bill does not establish different requirements for domestic broadcasters and foreign streamers when it comes to the requirement to use Canadian creative talent and Canadian independent producers, Valencia-Svensson added.

Photo credit: © Library of Parliament