Black women at economic risk in Canada

MORE THAN 600 thousand black people from all parts of the world, including the Caribbean are now living in Canada. Of this amount, 300 thousand reside in Toronto where 42 percent of blacks experience poverty.

These statistics were revealed on Friday night by Canadian, Rosemary Saddler who delivered the main address at the 21st annual African Day Liberation Dinner of the Caribbean Historical Society, held at the JFK Auditorium, St Augustine. She based her findings on a study carried out by McGill University a few years ago. The $200-a plate dinner was well patronised, notwithstanding some visible empty seats. Saddler who was born in Toronto, has been for the last ten years, President of  the Ontario Black History Society. She has degrees in Sociology, Social Work and Teaching and has published three major books to date, and received many awards for excellent service and  being an outstanding and positive role model. Saddler also revealed that there were more women in Toronto than men, because past immigration policies favoured women instead of men.

Seven out of ten women were born in the Caribbean and generally, most black people in Canada had a Caribbean background. “Black women are at an economical risk,” said Saddler who also spoke about the disadvantages in employment among blacks as compared with whites. Saddler told her audience which comprised that she was connected to them, “because my heritage is in Africa”. In her discourse, she referred to the many black people who have influenced blacks, and mentioned among them, Trinidadians Sylvester Williams of an earlier era and CLR James whom she noted, authored the book, “Black Jacobins”. Earlier in her address, Saddler gave an account of how black people came to be living in Canada and surmised that Canada is a multi-cultural society — almost from the inception. Earlier, the audience witnessed an exhibition of African wear by some young models. There was also entertainment, featuring the St James Tripolian Steel, singers Brian London and Kurt Rose. Among invitees to the event were the Canadian High Commissioner, Simon Wade; the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Gender Affairs, Eulalie James and Opposition Senator Wade Mark.