True North: Canadian Myths and Black Power

10/26/2025

When one thinks about Canada, images of a country known for its open-minded, tolerant, polite people and culture usually come to mind. But, when considering the nation’s history, often serving as a way station along slave trading routes and a refuge for escaped slaves from the US, that has not always been the case. In fact, with some exceptions aside, as recently as the 1960s, many parts of Canada weren’t as readily accepting as they are today, a carryover from the days when it was more heavily tied to its conservative English cultural roots and legal traditions, as well as its role in human trafficking. Racism toward Canadian Blacks may not have been as blatantly obvious as in the American South, for example, but it was insidious in many quarters, camouflaged by practices hidden behind la