Racism and the Canadian State

T he practices and official discourse of a variet y of state institution s in Canada have re flected a new level of "race consciousness " durin g t he past five years. A notable development wit hin t he Ca nadian state has been t he emer gence at all levels of administrative an d parliame n tar y institutions of new "race relations " and "visible minorit y" committees, liaison and consultative structures, pro grams, and com missions. Following a series of raciall y-motivated attacks wit hin Toronto subwa ys directed principally at Sout h Asians, t he Metropoli tan Toronto Police and t he Toronto Transit Commission jointl y establis hed a s ystem designed to intercept attackers and prevent furt her incidents . A growing number of municipal councils and boards of education in Metropolitan Toronto and ot her ma jor cities suc h as Vancouver and Ottawa have establis hed standin g committees on racism or multiculturalism (wit h race relation components ). A Police Et hnic Relations Unit and Liaison Group on Law E nforcement and Race Relations became well-publici ze d ad juncts to t he Metro Toronto Police Force.