Politicians and dignitaries gathered in Halifax on Monday to commemorate Emancipation Day, the anniversary of the British Parliament’s decision to abolish slavery throughout its empire in 1834.
According to some estimates, more than 15 million African women, men and children were victims of the transatlantic slave trade. In 1750, there were approximately 400 enslaved Blacks among Halifax’s approximately 3,000 inhabitants — more than 13% of the population. The Abolition of Slavery Act, passed in London in 1834, freed approximately 800,000 African-descendant slaves in all British colonies.
The Canadian Parliament unanimously designated August 1 as Emancipation Day in March 2021, and the Nova Scotia government did the same a month later.
Pat Dunn, minister responsible for African Nova Scotian affairs, said Monday that it should be recognized that many people of African descent were enslaved in Nova Scotia and other parts of Canada.
“This deeply rooted reality continues to negatively impact generations of people today, in the form of anti-Black racism,” Dunn said at the rally at the Halifax Convention Center.
“It is absolutely unacceptable. As a government, we are committed to taking the necessary steps to bring about positive change. »
Dwayne Provo, assistant deputy minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, said people of African descent have lived in Nova Scotia for more than 400 years.
“All Nova Scotians must recognize that the institution of slavery existed here in our province and our country,” he said. It is our shared responsibility to work together to address anti-Black racism, so that all Nova Scotians can thrive. »
Native slaves in New France
Thousands of people from Africa were forcibly taken to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, as well as Upper and Lower Canada, which now includes Ontario and Quebec.
Before the Conquest, there were also slaves in New France, but most were indigenous, according to historians. The Abolition of Slavery Act, August 1, 1834, freed all slaves, including Aboriginal people.
In Prince Edward Island on Monday, Premier Dennis King said in a statement that his government passed legislation earlier this year to also recognize Emancipation Day in that province.
“It’s important to recognize that slavery was present in Atlantic Canada, including Prince Edward Island,” he said, noting that a neighborhood in Charlottetown known as of “The Bog”, had been colonized by black slaves at the beginning of the 19th century.
“Emancipation Day celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black communities in Canada. It is a day for Islanders to reflect and educate themselves while learning to fight racism and discrimination against black people. »
An apology from Ottawa?
Meanwhile, some black leaders and scholars have renewed their calls to Ottawa for the Canadian government to issue a formal apology for the impact of slavery.
Author and historian Elise Harding-Davis said the federal government’s designation of Emancipation Day was a step forward, but it didn’t erase the fact that slavery harmed generations of black people. .
“An apology would be an acknowledgment that we have been slaves in this country,” said the former curator of the Freedom Museum in Amherstburg, Ontario. It would be an improvement over the harsh treatment black people have endured. People would recognize that we have contributed honestly to the history of this country and its development. »
Afua Cooper, a history professor at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, said she first demanded an apology from Ottawa in 2007. She points out that the Canadian government has issued apologies to various other groups and communities ever since.
“There can be no other explanation than a specific form of racism against blacks,” says the principal researcher at the Black History of Canada project. Blacks are not full citizens. For the federal government, it’s its way of saying ‘too bad’.”
A “separate school” until 1983
Some might argue that an apology is unnecessary since Canada was not founded until 1867, more than three decades after the abolition of slavery. Professor Cooper reminds us that Canada is not the result of a spontaneous generation.
” Okay. So why not apologize to the black community for what happened after 1867? she asks, referring to segregation and a government proposal to ban black immigrants from entering the country in 1911.
The last “separate school” in the country — in Lincolnville, Nova Scotia — closed in 1983.
Wanda Thomas Bernard, a senator from Nova Scotia, agrees that the time has come for the federal government to apologize. But such apologies would be meaningless, she said, if no action was taken.
“What do we do next? There are significant educational needs. There are significant needs to raise people’s awareness. We absolutely have to take concrete action,” said the senator.