Download the full Press release - Click here

Ottawa, February 13, 2023 – The advisory committee of La Passerelle-I.D.E. against racism accompanied by Senator Bernadette Clement, announced the Conference the Resolutions 2023: “Overcoming Racism Together” to be held October 16-17, 2023 in Ottawa.

The announcement of this conference on racism and systemic discrimination during Black History Month is a reminder of the importance of facing this virus and responding to it urgently to eradicate racism and systemic discrimination in all its shapes and forms.

“As a lawyer, as a mayor, as a senator, as a Black person in Canada, I’ve experienced racism and I’ve used my position to take a stand against racism. I’m proud to be part of today’s announcement: it’s time to recognize systemic racism and take concrete action. Systemic racism exists in French Ontario. Discrimination against racialized people exists in our communities. Together, we’re going to find solutions.” said Senator Clement.

The conference, titled Resolutions 2023: "Overcoming Racism Together", will be held in Ottawa on October 16-17, 2023. This event will bring together leaders from education, business and politics to discuss racism and systemic discrimination and develop recommendations and strategies to address it.

For her part, Léonie Tchatat, the founder and Executive Director of La Passerelle-I.D.E. and co-president of the advisory committee noted: “This conference, as the theme indicates, will enable us to take concrete resolutions and propose viable solutions to all these issues of exclusion, diversity and prejudice within experienced by Francophone communities in Ontario."

This conference, which will primarily focus on the Franco-Ontarian and Canadian community in all its diversity, will address issues related to the economy, political representation, as well as the question of education.

Mr. Ronald Bisson, who sits on the Francophone Advisory Committee on Racism, added: “The Franco-Ontarian community knows firsthand the individual and collective suffering caused by exclusion. We are doing a lot to address the barriers and prejudices that stand in the way of the full participation of the Francophonie in all its expressions in our communities. The lessons of our history teach us that we can do even more, together, to defeat racism”