Progress or Propaganda? A Report Card on the Racial Reckoning

Five years ago in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, the world turned its gaze to the realities of anti-Black racism. Promises were made. Pledges of justice, inclusion, and reform echoed across boardrooms, classrooms, and political stages. But now, as Black History Month 2025 unfolds, the question lingers: Did change truly take root, or was it simply a fleeting moment of reflection?

This report unearths the truth—a truth both sobering and urgent. It measures not only how far we have come since the racial reckoning of 2020 through hard data. It tells us where progress has been made, where it has stalled, and where the walls of discrimination remain firmly in place.

It shows that while some barriers have begun to crack, others have been fortified. That despite the promises of 2020, Black Canadians still move through a world that questions, excludes, and scrutinizes them in ways others do not experience.

Worse still, a growing backlash against diversity efforts threatens to undo even the modest steps forward. Racial justice is no longer the trending topic of the day, and with that, commitments to equity are fading.

This report is a call to look beyond the rhetoric and face the reality. The numbers tell a story—one that demands action, not just acknowledgment. Canada’s reckoning was never meant to be temporary. The question now is: What did we truly learn from 2020? And more importantly, what will we do now?