Emancipation Month Act becomes law

December 9, 2021

TORONTO — Mike Schreiner made the following statement as the Emancipation Month Act, which proclaims the month of August each year as Emancipation Month, received royal assent in the Ontario legislature

QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner made the following statement as the Emancipation Month Act, which proclaims the month of August each year as Emancipation Month, received royal assent in the Ontario legislature:

“This is a historic day for Ontario.

It was an honour and a privilege to work alongside MPP Hunter, MPP Lindo and MPP Khanjin to make this bill a reality.

And to be part of the first-ever bill co-sponsored by all four parties.

I’d like to thank Dewitt Lee, the founder of Emancipation Month Canada, who brought me the idea for this bill.

We know that the intergenerational trauma of slavery and systemic racism persists today. It’s baked into our systems and institutions, from politics to education to housing and health care.

And we need to work to eliminate discrimination by continuing to educate and advance the importance of racial equity and justice across the province. The work that Emancipation Month Canada does is vital to this effort.”

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