Systemic vs. Institutional Racism
You’re training new social workers. How would you explain the difference between systemic and institutional racism using the Thunder Bay Police Service review?
Systemic racism refers to society-wide inequities sustained across institutions, while institutional racism is the failure of a specific organization (e.g., TBPS’s uneven implementation of 550+ recommendations).
You’re briefing a community forum on MMIWG. How do you frame systemic racism in policing and justice?
Emphasize that colonialism and systemic racism underpin the crisis, with weak investigations, lack of trauma-informed practices, and Calls for Justice demanding structural reform
You’re designing an anti-racism curriculum. What evidence shows systemic gaps in Canadian schools?
National surveys reveal 58% of youth witness race-based insults, Indigenous children are twice as likely to face abuse, and many students learn little about Canada’s racist histories.
You’re advising HR leaders on equity audits. What data shows persistent racial wage gaps in Canada?
Black workers earn significantly less than white peers across education and occupations, with lower returns to advanced degrees, proving discrimination beyond human capital differences.
You’re presenting to city council about forensic services. What framing emphasizes urgency for reform?
Stress that suspension of autopsies in Thunder Bay reflects systemic geographic discrimination, and advocate for a regional forensic pathology unit with independent monitoring.
A journalist asks why Indigenous families distrust police investigations. How do you respond using the Seven Fallen Feathers case?
Highlight that Indigenous youth deaths in Thunder Bay were met with dismissive investigations, systemic racism, and uneven reforms, eroding trust in justice institutions.
A teacher asks why disciplinary policies need reform. How do you explain systemic bias in education?
Black and Indigenous students face disproportionate suspensions and expulsions, reflecting institutional racism that compounds systemic inequities in achievement and opportunity.
A policymaker asks why education alone doesn’t close racial gaps. How do you respond?
Even with similar tertiary education rates, Black workers face underemployment and wage disparities, showing systemic labor market discrimination.
You’re building a restorative justice workshop. How do you connect systemic racism to solutions?
Show that trauma-informed, culturally grounded approaches and sustained Indigenous leadership are essential to dismantle systemic harms in policing and justice.