Asian Canadians are reporting ongoing abuse and harassment in Canada, mainly due to political tensions and COVID-19, a new survey shows.
He survey, released on July 12, interviewed 884 Asian Canadians of different origins including Chinese and other East Asians, Filipinos and Southeast Asians and South Asians, and 1,625 other Canadians who are not of those origins.
It was completed by the Angus Reid Institute and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and shows that many face continued abuse, harassment and mistreatment in 2023.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Asian Canadians faced an increase in hate and discrimination, but data shows that as those tensions subside, other political factors underpin the mistreatment.
For several years, Canada has faced a difficult relationship with China in particular, including trade disputes, allegations of election interference, the detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and Canada detains Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
“One consequence of this appears to be the poor treatment of Asian Canadians in Canada,” the report states.
“One in five Chinese and East Asian Canadians say they have regularly faced backlash from other Canadians as a result of political tensions between the Canadian and Chinese governments.”
The data shows that about 20 percent say the bullying has happened “repeatedly.”
ABUSE INCREASES IN 2023
Angus Reid completed a separate survey of a similar nature in 2021 and comparing that to 2023 shows that the negative treatment of Asian Canadians is increasing, specifically for Chinese Canadians.
In 2021, Chinese Canadian respondents said they face backlash from other Canadians all the time (4 percent) or often (11 percent). In 2023, these categories increased by three and one percentage points each.
Chinese Canadians reported more insults and name calling, personal threats or intimidation, instances of friends or colleagues avoiding contact with them and being physically attacked by strangers in 2023 compared to 2021.
The proportion of Chinese Canadians who view offensive material on social media, in graffiti around their community or other spaces has marginally decreased compared to 2021, the percentage reporting disrespect or abuse in other forms has greatly increased. (Angus Reid Institute)
Of all Asian Canadians who responded in 2023, South Asians (28 percent) reported a higher level of abuse or discrimination.
In the past year, about 22 percent of Chinese and other East Asian Canadians have seen offensive media, graffiti, propaganda or pranks.
South Asian Canadians reported being treated with less respect and fearing for the safety of their friends and family over the past year.
IS IT GETTING BETTER OR WORSE?
When specifically asked if discrimination and racism are getting better or worse, more Asian Canadians agreed that it was worse last year (between 2022 and 2023).
Some 42 percent of the general population said racism “has stayed the same,” while 46 percent of Asian Canadians said it was “getting worse.”
Although Asian Canadians agree that more needs to be done about discrimination in Canada, the general population believes otherwise, the survey says.
When asked “how much of a problem do you think anti-Asian racism and discrimination is today in Canada in general?” about 45 percent of the general population said it was a problem “among others here” in 2023.
This is a decrease in priority from 48 percent in 2021.
For Asian Canadians, the issue has changed, showing that 56 percent in 2023, up from 53 percent in 2021, believe Asian hate in Canada is one “issue among others here.”
RACISM EXISTS EVERYWHERE
While many Canadians believe that Asian hate is a problem in Canada, they believe that it is less of a problem within their own community.
In 2023 about 26 percent said racism against Asians in their community was a problem, in 2021 this was 30 percent.
But Asian Canadians responded in 2023 and 2021 (33 percent), both saying it was still a problem in their communities.
“Regions with higher levels of Asian-Canadian representation (Ontario and British Columbia) are more likely to express concerns when it comes to discrimination in their own province,” the report says.
Roughly half (51 percent) of all respondents in BC said racism is a problem in the province, followed by 41 percent in Quebec and 39 percent in Ontario.
About 40 percent of people in Manitoba said it was a minor problem.
When it comes to anti-hate actions, most Asian Canadians do not report the experience to the police.
Some 39 percent don’t tell anyone about a negative experience, while 31 percent mention it to someone around them.
This corresponds to how Asian Canadians feel about the experiences, with 38 per cent saying the situation “sticks” with them. This is highest for younger Asian Canadians, with 40 percent saying an experience is upsetting and sticking with them.
Although racism and discrimination continue to plague Asian Canadians and other racial minorities, Canadians in general see the value of a diverse population.
“More than four in five (86 percent) say Canada’s multicultural population represents a strength rather than a weakness,” the report says.
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Methodology
The general population sample, Asian Canadian sample, and Chinese-only sample are weighted by census demographics. Samples from China and Other East Asians (combined), South Asia, and Southeast Asia are nearly evenly distributed by age, gender, and other demographics, but are not weighted in the census.