Black History Month proclaimed in City Hall as Vancouver kicks off 12th official annual celebration
Celebrations for Black History Month kicked off in Vancouver City Hall with a proclamation ahead of Tuesday’s council meeting.
It’s been 12 years since Vancouver officially declared February as Black History Month, and this will be the first year a mayor of colour signed the city’s proclamation.
On Jan. 31, Mayor Ken Sim held the microphone for Pete Fry as the Green Party councillor recited the document.
“The City of Vancouver affirms the rights and is striving to strengthen the full and equitable participation of people of African descent,” reads the proclamation.
The legacies of B.C.’s first Black MLA, Emery Barnes, Hogan’s Alley restaurant owner Vie Moore and sports pioneer Barbara Howard are highlighted in the city’s document.
The three are praised for how they “significantly shaped this country and paved the way for the leadership, creativity, determination and future imagination of Black Canadians, African Diaspora and other racialized communities.”
The city also writes it’s working on an Anti-Black Racism Strategy, highlighting the need for continued input from Vancouver’s Black community in planning processes—especially those related to Northeast False Creek. That neighbourhood was home to the city’s Black population until 1967, when the construction of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts displaced Hogan’s Alley residents.
Maurice Earle, the president of the non-profit Unity Centre Association for Black Cultures, received the proclamation from the city.
The UCABC was founded in 2012 “to pursue the goals of unifying, promoting and integrating Black cultures within Canadian society” according to its website.
One of the group’s long-term goals listed online is “ensuring that the identify, history and political presence of the Black community in B.C. is recognized by the federal and other provincial and national leaders and decision makers.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.