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←Toronto City Council · 2021-04-07 · 2021.MM31.29

The filed record

Call on Toronto City Council to Confront Anti-Asian Racism and to Move Forward with an Action Plan - by Councillor Cynthia Lai, seconded by Mayor John Tory

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The decision

2021-04-07 · Toronto City Council · adopted

As filed

City Council on April 7 and 8, 2021, adopted the following: 1. City Council condemn the recent acts of Anti-Asian hate and restate its commitment to an inclusive and welcoming city for all Toronto residents. 2. City Council request Mayor Tory to continue the efforts of the Mayor's Roundtable, composed of Mayor Tory, Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong, Councillor Lai and Councillor Wong-Tam, initiated on March 25, 2021, and provide a progress report to City Council by the end of the second quarter of 2021.

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3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to select a community agency to act as a Facilitator for the Roundtable and prepare the report requested in Part 2 above.

The vote

Adopt Item · Carried, 21-0

For (21)Ana Bailão, Anthony Perruzza, Brad Bradford, Cynthia Lai, Frances Nunziata, Gord Perks, James Pasternak, Jaye Robinson, Jennifer McKelvie, Joe Cressy, John Filion, John Tory, Josh Matlow, Kristyn Wong-Tam, Michael Ford, Michael Thompson, Mike Colle, Mike Layton, Nick Mantas, Paul Ainslie, Stephen Holyday
Absent (5)Denzil Minnan-Wong, Gary Crawford, Mark Grimes, Paula Fletcher, Shelley Carroll
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On the agenda

As the city filed it

Anti-Asian racism is on the rise in Canada and Toronto; According to the Toronto Police Service, Anti-Asian hate crimes in Toronto were up 51 percent in 2020 over 2019 and are up 47 percent in 2021 over 2020. This follows similar patterns in other Canadian cities where in Vancouver Anti-Asian hate crimes reported increased from 12 in 2019 to 98 in 2020 or by 717 percent. The outbreak of the pandemic has been a major source in the rise in reporting of Anti-Asian hate crime.

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The recent tragic events in Atlanta further illustrate the rise. The values that define Canadians and Torontonians are openness and inclusiveness. All of us who are non-indigenous are immigrants or sons and daughters of immigrants. All have come to Canada to create a better life for themselves and for their families. Recently Mayor Tory joined by Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong, Councillor Lai and Councillor Wong-Tam held a roundtable of Asian community leaders and organizations where we heard first-hand the effects of racism and suggestions on how to best address it. The City of Toronto needs to be proactive to prevent such racist and hate crimes. Racism or hate of any form has no place in Canada and Toronto and we must commit ourselves to do everything possible to eradicate it.

Staff recommended

Councillor Cynthia Lai, seconded by Mayor John Tory, recommends that: 1. City Council condemn the recent acts of Anti-Asian hate and restate its commitment to an inclusive and welcoming city for all Toronto residents. 2. City Council request Mayor Tory to continue the efforts of the Mayor's Roundtable, composed of Mayor Tory, Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong, Councillor Lai and Councillor Wong-Tam, initiated on March 25, 2021, and provide a progress report to City Council by the end of the second quarter of 2021.

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3. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to select a community agency to act as a Facilitator for the Roundtable and prepare the report requested in Recommendation 2 above.

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