‘Pure theatre’: Activist calls out City Hall hearings on racism
Posted Jul 9, 2020 07:09:51 AM.
Last Updated Jul 9, 2020 07:10:24 AM.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – With over a hundred people looking to speak at city council’s public hearing on systemic racism, those looking for change believe the conversations have been too general.
Calling it pure theatre, Shuana Porter with the United Black People Allyship Movement said council is lumping every person of colour into one group, which is a major mistake.
“I think the City of Calgary and the Government of Canada should be ashamed of themselves that this is how they think they’re helping Black people or any other minority.”
She added it’s hard for speakers to explain over 500 years of oppression and systemic racism in the time they’re given, which is only five minutes.
Three days of consultations on systemic racism began at City Hall on Tuesday.
More than 100 people were scheduled to speak in one day but only 30 people made it to the microphone.
Porter said it’s too many people in too few days.
“It was like herding cattle. I think it is a formality, it was performative and it was a tick that the city could say ‘look what we’ve done guys, we’ve done something great.'”
Porter said the public hearings should be broken down to address each issue individually and have it over a longer period of time to get the most out of it.
“Stop trying to do it in three days. Make it happen in three months. Make it happen in a year.”
The hearings are scheduled to wrap up at City Hall Thursday.
-with files from Crystal Laderas, CityNews