Statement on the Establishment of the External Ministerial Advisory Committee on Anti-Black Racism

The Black Class Action Secretariat (BCAS) welcomes the establishment of the Minister of National Defence’s External Ministerial Advisory Committee on Anti-Black Racism.

The Prime Minister’s apology to the descendants of members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion marked an important acknowledgement of a painful chapter in Canada’s history. But an apology alone does not constitute justice.

Members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion answered Canada’s call to serve despite segregation and systemic anti-Black racism. After the First World War, Canada established programs that helped many returning veterans rebuild their lives, including land settlement and other supports that enabled families to build economic security and generational wealth. Black members of the Battalion returned to a country that continued to discriminate against them because of their race. The barriers they faced limited opportunity and left lasting impacts on future generations.

While the Government of Canada acknowledged this history through its apology, it did not include reparative measures to address those enduring harms. For many descendants, the wrong has been acknowledged, but justice remains unfinished.

BCAS calls on the Committee to ensure that the legacy of the apology results in meaningful change. Specifically, BCAS calls on the Committee to recommend:

• Closing representation gaps at the senior leadership levels of the Canadian Armed Forces by addressing the historic and ongoing underrepresentation of Black members at the one-star and two-star general and flag officer ranks.

  
  

• Recognizing systemic anti-Black racism as a contributing factor to mental health and reviewing the medical and personnel records of Black CAF members where racial bias may have affected diagnoses, treatment, career progression, or administrative decisions.

  
  

• Establishing dedicated supports and accountability measures for Black women in the Canadian Armed Forces who have experienced racialized sexual violence, discrimination, or harassment.

  
  

• Improving the experience and success of Black officer and naval cadets at the Royal Military Colleges by addressing systemic barriers and strengthening mentorship, leadership development, and institutional accountability.

  
  

• Expanding opportunities for Black-owned businesses, Black researchers, and Black academic institutions through Canada’s defence procurement, innovation, investment, and research initiatives.

  
  

• Recommending meaningful reparative measures, including compensation, scholarships, educational initiatives, historical preservation, community investment, and other forms of restorative justice, to address the enduring harms experienced by members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion and their descendants.

BCAS also calls on the Government of Canada to publicly report on the Committee’s recommendations and the actions taken in response. Canadians should be able to see what recommendations are made, what actions are taken, and what progress is achieved.

Until the enduring harms of this historic injustice are addressed, the work of reconciliation remains unfinished.