A recent study reveals that most Black Canadians involved in politics face significant discrimination and barriers when trying to engage in government. Erin Tolley, the Canada Research Chair in Gender, Race, and Inclusive Politics and associate professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, authored Black on the Ballot: What Black Canadians Told Us About Running for and Serving in Elected Office.

Tolley’s research, which includes the first national survey of Black Canadians in politics alongside archival research, offers a comprehensive look at their inclusion in Canadian politics. “There really is not a lot of research on Black Canadians in politics,” Tolley noted, explaining that political scientists in Canada historically haven’t focused on race. “We tend to think of race as a concept more useful in the United States.”

One of the study’s key findings is the prevalence of negative experiences for Black Canadians entering politics. Of the 95 respondents to Tolley’s survey, 67 reported facing discrimination during their time running for office or while in office. More than half of them indicated that these discriminatory experiences occurred in public spaces or at their offices. These challenges, Tolley suggests, can have lasting effects on how long Black Canadians stay in politics.

The study also highlights the experiences of African Nova Scotians. Virginia Hinch, who was elected to Halifax’s regional council in the fall of 2024, received racist emails during her campaign. Despite sharing one of these emails on social media, Hinch has moved forward, stating, “I’m going to take what he said with a grain of salt because, again, I reached out to meet with this person and there was nothing since then. So I’m not worried about that anymore.”

Wanda Thomas Bernard, who made history as the first African Nova Scotian woman appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2016, also shared her experiences with racism. As a long-time social worker, educator, and activist, Bernard faced both overt and subtle racism in Ottawa. She recalled an incident where she was the only senator required to show identification while traveling to the upper chamber. After her first speech in the Senate, several senators approached her to commend her speaking skills, which Bernard felt was a microaggression. “I’m thinking that feels like a microaggression, like I’m a professor, why shouldn’t I speak well?” she remarked.

Both Bernard and Hinch will participate in a panel discussion at the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in Cherry Brook on Friday, focusing on the experience of Black women in politics in Nova Scotia. Hinch credits Bernard’s mentorship as crucial to her decision to run for office. Bernard emphasized the importance of mentoring other Black politicians across Canada, stating that seeing someone who looks like them in office can inspire confidence. “I believe it gives people critical hope. I believe that it’s a form of encouragement. I believe that it helps people to believe in themselves,” Bernard said.

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