OTTAWA — An advocate is calling on white Canadians to become more aware of anti-Asian racism, as two new surveys highlight the heavy toll of the pandemic on race relations in the country.
A recent study led by the University of Victoria, along with a separate new survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, provide a clearer picture of how racism has harmed Chinese Canadians' well-being and sense of belonging.
The University of Victoria study surveyed 874 first and second-generation Chinese Canadians and found that two-thirds had some experience with being treated disrespectfully.
Leger, meantime, surveyed 1,547 Canadians on behalf of the Association for Canadian Studies, of which 1,255 were white and 75 were of Chinese descent.
Almost half of Chinese Canadians polled said relations with white Canadians had worsened during the pandemic, while only about two in five white Canadians said their relationship with Chinese Canadians got worse.
Amy Go of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice says the discrepancy indicates white people's privilege is shielding them from seeing the lived experiences of Asian Canadians and creating a barrier to change.
The online survey took place between Dec. 3 and 5 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because web-based polls are not considered truly random samples.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2022.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
The Canadian Press