QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Public Safety
Canada's Black Justice Strategy
April 21, 2026
Welcome, Minister Anandasangaree. On February 3 of this year, I submitted a written question to the Department of Justice asking for an update on Canada’s Black Justice Strategy. In their response on April 2, they outlined that Chapter 3.1 of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement provided $16.7 million over two years for Public Safety Canada to work with Black-led organizations to provide community reintegration and corrections programming.
Now that those two years have passed, I would like to know what has been done to meet those commitments.
Thank you. Those funds were for two portfolio agencies. One was for Correctional Service Canada. The other one was for the RCMP.
I entered this role about 11 months ago, and my sense of the Black Justice Strategy — at least at the implementation stage for both agencies — was that it’s inadequate, in my opinion, and it lacked the kind of ambition that I expect in the Black Justice Strategy.
It’s an area that I’ve been particularly interested in working on for many years, and in my parliamentary career, it’s been one of my major focuses.
I did see a lack of ambition. I have asked for that to be reignited in a way that speaks to the moment.
We have challenges. When we look at Correctional Service Canada, for example, we have a disproportionate number of Black offenders within the system. When we look at the RCMP, we see that recruitment and retention are challenges. There is work to do in both areas. And there is work that I think requires greater certainty and greater ambition, and I’m very confident that the leadership is able to do that.
Thank you for that answer. Lack of ambition — I like that in terms of saying we need to do more. I appreciate that.
The 2026 spring economic statement is set to be tabled next week. Given what you’ve just said and that you’re now on the file, what future commitments will be made to Black Canadians to advance the Black Justice Strategy?
My primary objective will be to ensure that the initial investments are appropriately undertaken and that the programs reflect the need and the ambition that the communities that I represent are asking for.
In the broader sense, you’re aware that our government has renewed the Black Entrepreneurship Program. There have been a number of renewals of sunsetting programs that impact all communities but particularly the Black youth population, for example, as part of the Building Safer Communities Fund, which is administered by us.
There have been a number of very important steps that we’ve taken. There is always more to do, but particularly on the —
Thank you, minister.
