Honourable senators, I rise today in response to the Speech from the Throne and in acknowledgement of Black History Month. Although the month of February has come and gone, it is never a bad time to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Canadians and to talk about how we continue to build on this success.

I would like to thank my colleagues Senators Bernard, Jaffer, Mégie and Ravalia for their tireless work on behalf of African-Canadians, including their advocacy within this chamber.

Speeches from the throne are important. They are opportunities to reflect on our country’s history as we consider where we go next. Today, I wish to contribute to that reflection.

Like all of us in this chamber, I am proud of my community. As a proud Torontonian, and in acknowledgement of the city that I love and the people who make this city unique, I want to focus on the history, success and excellence of Black Canadians in my hometown.

Black Canadians have a deep and vibrant history in Toronto. From their earliest arrival, they are proud and productive members of the community. In his address at the Black History Conference at the University of Toronto in 1978, sociologist Daniel G. Hill gave an address entitled “Black History in Early Toronto.”

He spoke about the early settlers, of the 50 families of refugees who first settled in Toronto in 1837. He talked about subsequent migration from southern states that added to the colony from time to time, up to 1850, when by this time, almost every southern state was represented in this colony and the majority being from Virginia.

We were told by Mr. Hill that these settlers brought with them skills and experience that they had gained from previous trades:

Many of them had brought sufficient means with them to purchase homes. They built churches and organized benevolent and fraternal organizations. . . . not only secured homes of their own, but educated their children, and by loyalty to their adopted country and moral rectitude, they secured the respect and esteem of their fellow citizens . . .

In fact, Toronto was one of many final destinations of the Underground Railroad north of the border that existed from the mid-1830s until the 1860s, and much of what Daniel Hill described took place in this era. Black Torontonians, many of them former slaves, operated businesses such as grocery stores, boutiques, shops, pharmacies, stables and even Toronto’s first taxi company.

The GTA continued to be a centre for Black excellence in many areas of life and society. Many Black leaders, shining stars in the areas of law, policy and advocacy, came from this region. Mary Ann Shadd was one of these shining stars, an abolitionist, teacher, journalist and lawyer, who in 1853 became the first woman publisher in North America. She was born to free parents in the slave state of Delaware in 1823. In the fall of 1851, she attended the first North American Convention of Colored Freemen in Toronto, was later persuaded to take a teaching position near Windsor and opened an integrated school for Black refugees. In 1853, she began to publish The Provincial Freeman, a newspaper that promoted immigration to Canada by publishing the successes of Black persons living in freedom.

Fast forward 100 years to another shining star and a great Canadian; Lincoln Alexander, the first Black MP, minister and lieutenant governor in Canadian history. Lincoln was born in Toronto, and like many Black Torontonians, and myself, was a child of Caribbean immigrants. Despite his difficult childhood, Lincoln would reach to great heights. He served in factories during World War II and then attended McMaster, where he graduated with a BA in 1949. He then attended Osgoode Hall Law in 1953. The story goes that, while a student of Osgoode Hall and attending a lecture given by the dean of the school, Alexander stood and challenged the dean, who was then using derogatory terms to describe Black people. In his challenge, he demanded that the dean, as a leader in a position of authority, should be more thoughtful and respectful in the language he was using.

Later, he went on to start his own law firm and entered politics in 1965 when he ran for the Progressive Conservative Party and lost. Later, he won in 1968 and served for 12 years.

Famously, during Question Period in 1971, along with John Lundrigan from Newfoundland, he allegedly provoked then-Prime Minister Trudeau in what is now remembered as the “fuddle duddle” episode.

Honourable colleagues, it is hard to put into words what the feelings of being a Black person confronting racism every day is like. It is worse than simply losing opportunities. It is unpleasant and even dangerous in encounters. Racism is an attempt to degrade an individual’s humanity. It puts their identity into question and seeks to take away their self-worth. It is exhausting, infuriating and can bring the strongest person to a place of total weakness.

When considering these giants of history, it is vital to remember that they were not exempt from racism. Their intelligence, charisma, wit, determination and eventual success was always secondary to the colour of their skin.

The accomplishments of Mary Ann Shadd, Lincoln Alexander, Oscar Peterson, Zanana Akande, William Peyton Hubbard, Jean Augustine and Willie O’Ree, among many other Black Canadians, are more than simple professional successes. They fought a daily battle to preserve their dignity and to uphold their value and their worth.

Although individuals and systems sought to tear them down, they stood tall. They have left a legacy. They have mentored and encouraged many to come after them and to carry the torch, and they are all heroes.

Indeed, Black Torontonians have been shattering glass ceilings, and we are not done yet. Whether it is as a Superior Court justice, Norris Trophy winner, Leader of the Green Party or headliner at the Super Bowl halftime show, Black Torontonians are joining with Black Canadians from Newfoundland, Preston, Montreal, B.C. and all over the country to make history — and will continue to do so for generations to come.

Colleagues, these individuals made a difference, but their path was marked by a deep struggle. Their legacy is an endorsement of the need for diversity and inclusion in all our institutions.

Diversity and inclusion are not just about aspiring to build a better society, but are also about learning from our past and from the countless examples where people from diverse backgrounds made our world — our Canada — a better place.

Indeed, what if rather than having to fight to contribute, individuals of diverse backgrounds were welcomed and invited to contribute? What if they were given a seat at the table rather than having to wrestle for one? What if Canadian institutions truly believed in the brilliance and uniqueness that exists in Black Canadians — in fact in all Canadians of diverse backgrounds? What if these institutions actively sought out this brilliance and uniqueness? Think of how we as a country, as a society, could move forward together.

This begins here in the Senate of Canada, our own institution. As we reflect on where we are today, we must acknowledge that there is work to be done to move our institution toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive workplace, and toward becoming a leader in Canada in this area.

From the witnesses we bring to committee, to those we hire as clerks and staffers, to the art we display and the Canadians we acknowledge and honour, we must pursue true inclusion of Canadians regardless of their background.

This means changing systems and policies and raising the bar of expectations —