Canada lags behind the US on disaggregated data — but these Canadian organizations are catching up. Here’s what they’ve learned.
Why It Matters
Because of systemic oppression and marginalization, some populations are more likely to experience challenges like homelessness, food insecurity, and other issues social purpose organizations work on. Without data on who exactly experiences what challenges, how can organizations develop and deliver effective programs, services and advocacy?
Amy Go, president of Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice (CCNC-SJ), remembers when the SARS virus came to Canada nearly 20 years ago. At the time, she says she was working at a long term care-home in Markham, ON that catered specifically to South Asian seniors. “Even though there was not one single case of the virus amongst our residents or staff, we were labelled as having SARS,” she says.
Go says she remembers the “yellow peril fear” that followed in the wake of the SARS virus, as “Chinese workers were told to go home and were laid off, Chinese tenants were locked out by their landlords, and even delivery people would not deliver goods inside to the centre.”
So when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and its origins were located in China, Go says that she and other members of the Chinese Canadian community immediately knew that Chinese and E
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