February 1 marks the beginning of Canada’s 34th Black History Month (BHM). This year in particular concludes the first United Nations Decade for People of African Descent (UNDPAD), which began in 2015, and marks the beginning of the second official UNDPAD celebration. In light of this transition, this year’s Black History Month represents a pivotal point in the recognition of Black history on a global scale, and Canada’s commitment to the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people of African descent.
The government of Canada has launched its official theme for this year’s BHM: “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” As stated in a message from the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, “this year’s theme is about reflecting and celebrating the contribution of Black Canadians.” At its core, the theme aims to celebrate Black history in Canada and spread awareness about the contributions of Black Canadians to the nation’s country and history. In reflecting on the ways Black Canadians have shaped the country, Canada strives to pave the way for a more equitable, inclusive future.
In order to be able to participate in the theme of Legacy and Leadership, the country must confront its history. Canada remained active in the transatlantic slave trade system until its abolition in 1834 — an involvement often overlooked — and this legacy of slavery is present in the evolution of systemic racial discrimination within the country. As we approach February 1, we must acknowledge that Canada’s history is rooted in deeply racist practices in order to understand how to move into the future, reconciling with and repairing the past. Further, in adherence with this month’s theme, it is crucial to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black Canadians to the nation.
In terms of reconciliation, the Canadian government has worked towards uplifting and supporting Black communities in Canada through various projects. The Canadian government has invested over $1 billion into Black communities through the Multicultural Anti-Racist Program (MARP). The objective of MARP is to “advance anti-racism, provide equitable opportunities, promote dialogue on multiculturalism, anti-racism, racial equity, diversity, and inclusion to advance institutional and systemic change.” MARP initiatives include the financial support of research to collect further information about the “challenges faced by equity deserving populations.” There are three components to MARP: projects, events and Organizational Capacity Building (OCB). Each component aims to provide support to Canada’s racial minorities through funding of community led initiatives.
Further action includes the 2018 recognition of UNDPAD on behalf of the Canadian government, alongside the promise to remain committed to achieving “equality and conditions that are free of discrimination, awareness-raising, and education, informing-gathering.” The Canadian government subsequently recognized the United Nations Second International Decade for People of African Descent, spanning from 2025-2034. UNDPAD works to promote the human rights and freedoms of people of African descent, as well as “promote a greater knowledge of and respect for the diverse heritage, culture and contribution of people of African descent to the development of societies,” alongside many other objectives to implement legislative measures to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination, namely discrimination on the basis of race being made punishable by law in countries such Bolivia and Uruguay.
The Canadian Government continued to further its efforts to promote the presence of Black voices within international institutions by organizing the participation of 24 Black Canadian “civil society leaders” at the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. This particular initiative was organized by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) in collaboration with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF). This event offered the opportunity for Black Canadian civil organizations to voice their own experiences of anti-Black racism, inequalities, and discrimination. It provided a space for participants to network and build connections, while also creating an opportunity to hold the Canadian government accountable. The event worked effectively as a forum where organizations could offer insights into further strategies to implement effective solutions for combating racial inequalities within Canada.
Despite these efforts made by Canada to reconcile with its past of racial inequality, there remains an immense number of reparations to be made, in the forms of scholarships, tuition remissions, housing grants, and business grants, to name a few. The philanthropic and charitable sector continues to fail Black Canadians, evident in recent studies illustrating a “systemic underinvestment” in Black communities — with Black community organizations receiving approximately seven cents for every $100 distributed by leading Canadian philanthropic institutions.
According to the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC), Black entrepreneurs continue to struggle with barriers including access to capital. Determining concrete solutions to this problem is challenging, as the community of Black business owners is severely underrepresented in research circles. Yet it remains evident that a prevailing issue is funding in Canadian Black entrepreneurship, a burden resting on the Canadian government to take initiative and extend funding.
Despite these ongoing challenges, the Canadian government continues to acknowledge the work that needs to be done across the nation. A message released by Justin Trudeau in the Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2029 illustrated the country’s recognition of prevailing issues of racial inequality, stating that that he wants “the federal government to reflect the Canada it serves — because the more voices and perspective we have at the table, the better the decisions making.” This is an indication of the government’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity within Canada, demonstrating their dedication to fostering an environment of “economic, social, [and] cultural empowerment.” Additionally included within this outline of strategies is a large number of initiatives to reform legislation to encourage accountability. The theme of this year’s BHM will demonstrate the government’s ability to honour the very principles of leadership and legacy which it places at the forefront of their efforts in reconciling with their history of systemic racial discrimination.
In Montreal specifically, the theme of this year’s BHM has been announced as “All that We Carry” (Tout ce que Nous Sommes), as organized by the city’s RoundTable on Black History Month. A variety of events will be held throughout the month to celebrate Black culture within Quebec, proving participants with the opportunity to become immersed in Black history. Celebrations kicked off on Thursday, January 30 with the the Montreal Black History Month 2025 Opening Ceremony. The RoundTable on Black History month has selected 12 laureates to be honoured for their work, who will each represent one month of the year. The festivities don’t stop there: throughout February, the city will host an assortment of events from music concerts to live theatre. “Distant Echoes of Africa” will take place on February 21, featuring composers and artists of African descent. An English language-master class will be hosted by the leader of the Black History RoundTable Michael Farkas on February 8, in addition to an exhibition showcasing Afro’Queer artists on February 26. Multicultural readings, dance performances, film streamings, and a comedy tour will take place in the city throughout the month of February.
The kickoff on Thursday highlighted the importance of Black History Month as a way to recognize the deep-rooted biases and prejudices that continue to shape Canada. Youssef Youssef, CKUT correspondent for the Daily, stated that the event exemplified that Black history is all history, and that we must continue to recognize that Black voices have been excluded from the history of our country. In the words of Ian Thomas, the event’s anglophone spokesperson, “It’s not Black history, it’s our history.”