Today the Liberals will be introducing a watershed bill that will, for the first time in the province’s history, define racism and hate in legislation.

The Dismantling Racism and Hate Act will also call on the government to create public consultations with marginalized communities to identify barriers of systemic racism and hate.

Based on those discussions, entities like government departments and crown corporations will have to develop action plans to remove those discriminatory barriers within their organizations.

“Government can play a critical role in helping to dismantle racism and hate,” says Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives Critic Angela Simmonds. “This bill will create an ongoing dialogue with discriminated communities, so their voices are consistently taken into account by our province’s most senior decision-makers.”

The bill also includes expanding the race-based data initiative beyond the health system.

The initiative, along with establishing the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives, tackling environmental racism through the closure of Boat Harbour, and launching the restorative inquiry into the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children were just some of the ways our Liberal Party advanced equity in Nova Scotia.

But more works needs to be done. This bill will enshrine in law the progress we’ve made, so advancing equity can continue with the current government and all future ones.

“This isn’t a reactionary bill,” says Simmonds. “This is about defining and addressing racism and discrimination in this province no matter who is in government.”