26 years ago, the Hon. Jean Augustine put forth a motion in the House of Commons to commemorate February as Black History Month in Canada. 

Since 1996, Canada has celebrated and acknowledged the role Black Canadians have in building Canada from coast to coast to coast. From Amber Valley in Alberta, to Africville in Nova Scotia, and Windsor and Chatham in between, we have learned the history of Black Canadians is not recent, but can be traced back several centuries in Canada. 

From the courage of Viola Desmond in Nova Scotia; the injustice faced by Marie-Joseph Angelique in Montreal; the Yonge Street riots in Toronto; and the Black Lives Matters protests all over the world, we also know that the fight for justice for Black Canadians continues and there is so much more work to do. 

This year,  we continue to acknowledge the lives of Black Canadians by hosting our 5th annual Black History Month Celebration virtually. This year, our event is in partnership with TAIBU Community Health Centre and The Jamaican Association of Nurses as we recognize and celebrate Black Canadian frontline workers' selfless effort to put an end to COVID-19. 

Across the country, communities depend on the strength, support, and selflessness of Black Canadian front line workers. We thank the Black Canadian front line workers for their courage, sacrifice, and commitment to the well-being of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.