Raymond Sheppard: Between the 50s and 80s a number of African Nova Scotian newborn children were removed from their families where it was deemed that the mother was unable to care for her child, this coupled with the stigma of not being married. For example, my sister’s children were said to be adopted in Ontario.
During this federal election, those vying for the office of Prime Minister and those political parties wanting to form the next federal government should commit to reparations for African descendants of slavery in Canada.
True allies always take ownership of their own shortcomings and give 100% to overcome their biased privileged background while letting their actions speak.
Raymond Sheppard: As African people we must write our own story and let our dreams and ambitions be greater than our fears and inhibitions. Let no one tell you that our history is not important and that we as African people should just get over it.
Raymond Sheppard: White politicians vying for political office will do the bare minimum to secure African people’s votes, and after an election they hardly ever keep their word on anything.
Raymond Sheppard: Whereas all North American governments and others profited of the enslavement of the African, reparations to the descendants of those forced into slavery should be a no brainer.
Raymond Sheppard: “The first war that we must face as African people is the war on ourselves. The oppressors live inside us, they are in our minds and every piece of material we read including textbooks, reinforce their so-called superiority.”
Raymond Sheppard: In Nova Scotia the situation is even more dire. Over the years lip service has been given and that continues to be the case. Still, there are fewer than 20 Persons of African descent working in broadcast media and there are no public affairs shows for us, by us and about us.
Raymond Sheppard: When we spread falsehoods about people in our own community we not only hurt individuals but the community as a whole.
Raymond Sheppard comments on the Gyasi Symonds human rights tribunal: “let’s not throw our hands up in celebration based on this one decision by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.”