Country : Canada
Assignment Task:

Task:

Read the following opinion article published online in The McGill Journal of Political Studies.

Write a 400-500 word essay-style response with a thesis that addresses these connected questions:

What have your thoughts been on racism and systemic racism with regards to the COVID-19 epidemic in Canada? Reflecting on your thoughts, what do you notice about (a) the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on racialized communities (b) bias and stereotypes in the Canadian health care system (c) whether or not it is necessary and important to collect data that tracks race and socio-demographic information OR (d) personal experience (or experiences of family members) of racism and/or systemic racism during the pandemic?

To answer this, think about what you have thought, felt and experienced while being in this unusual time and how it has been different or similar from previous experiences. To help keep your response focused, choose just ONE of the (a) - (d) options given in the question.

Your essay must include:

1. An introductory paragraph that:

  • Starts with a summary sentence capturing the main idea of the article by Joy Ahrum Kwat. This should be in the same style we have been practicing (i.e. "In [ARTICLE TITLE], [AUTHOR NAME] [PRESENT TENSE VERB] [MAIN IDEA OF ARTICLE]"). 10 marks
  • Transitions clearly from the summary sentence of the article to your own ideas. 5 marks
  • Contains a thesis statement that (a) clearly and concisely captures the central idea of your essay; (b) clearly addresses the question above (in bold); and (c) is your own ideas that are distinct from Kwakâ??s ideas. 15 marks

2. One or more body paragraphs that:

  • Begin with topic sentences that indicates the main point of the paragraph. 10 marks
  • Have a clear and logical structure. 10 marks
  • Clearly develop and explain the thesis statement. 10 marks

3. A concluding paragraph that:

  • Clearly and logically wraps up the essay. 10 marks

4. Writing that:

  • Is clear and has been proofread for typos, format (font size, margins, line spacing), and basic errors. 10 marks
  • Is organized into (a) complete sentences; and (b) well-structured paragraphs. Uses diction that is tailored to audience and purpose. Is free of grammar errors. 10 marks
  • Pays attention to basic requirements: length(400-500 words), proper acknowledgment and representation of Kwak's article (if used â?? see note 2 below). Uploaded as a .pdf file. 10 marks

Total: 100 marks

Important Notes:

1. Your analysis must be written entirely in your own words and it must be centred around your own ideas.

2. Do not refer to any sources outside of Kwak's article posted here. Note that you do not have to refer to Kwak's passage beyond the opening summary sentence, but if you do, you must represent her ideas accurately and cite & acknowledge them appropriately. If any outside sources are used beyond Kwak's article, your exam will receive a zero. A reference page is not required but in-text citations are.

3. If you plagiarize any part of your analysis, you will receive a zero on the exam.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Reading online sources to get ideas about the exam passage and using those ideas in your answer as if they were your own
  • Copy-pasting phrases, sentences, or passages from web pages
  • Copying ideas, phrases, sentences, or passages from your friend's work
  • Using phrases, sentences, passages, or key ideas from an essay of your own that you have already submitted for marks
  • In short â?? please just use your own ideas to write the best essay-style response you can. That will always be a better idea than trying to get ideas or words from someone else. Even if you don't think you can do well, remember that even a 40% is a whole lot better than a zero.

4. Title page and reference page are NOT required.

Opinion: Why Canadaâ??s Decision to Exclude Race from COVID-19 Statistics is Fundamentally Flawed

McGill Journal of Political Studies

Posted On: June 17, 2020 Published By: Joy Ahrum Kwak

In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic has been overwhelmingly successful at revealing weak points in the healthcare systems of various countries. In particular, the crisis has exposed

disparities in access to diagnosis and treatment among BIPOC communities. For instance, U.S. studies have shown that Black Americans are three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than White Americans, while Latino and Asian Americans have experienced a death rate of 22.9 and 22.7 per 100,000 people respectively, compared to 20.7 for Whites.

These disparities can perhaps be explained by a lack of access to testing and healthcare resources, precarious immigration status, and pre-existing health conditions, such as higher rates of obesity and diabetes due to malnutrition and poverty. Collectively, these factors are contributing to the unequal impact of the virus felt in Black and other communities of colour.*

As evident in the United States, race and ethnicity play a crucial role in determining the likelihood of hospitalization or death â?? especially in a pandemic, where economic crises and inaccessible resources already severely impair communities of colour. Consequently, the inclusion of race in statistics helps to expose the inequalities faced by minorities, and pushes the government to acknowledge and react to scientific evidence.

Amidst growing evidence that ethnic minorities are being heavily and disproportionately impacted by the virus, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet released a statement on June 2nd which urged states to address these concerns accordingly, and suggested providing â??targeted information for these communities.â? Nevertheless, the Canadian government, alongside provincial health officials who are responsible for approaches to the virus, have yet to include race in statistics.

It can of course be argued that decisions on specific data prioritization have been slow due to the undeniable workload they will bring. Health officials say that the additional workload could overload already overworked and stressed staff in the midst of the pandemic. Other reasons cited include a lack of coordination between public health units and provincial and territorial governments, especially as provinces struggle to flatten the curve and re-open their economies.

Despite concerns over the detrimental impact of the virus on visible minority communities, Ontarioâ??s Chief Medical Officer of Health stated in April that the provinceâ??s main risk groups were â??the elderly, [and] those with other comorbidities, regardless of what race they are,â? adding that â??regardless of race, ethnic or other backgrounds, theyâ??re all equally important to us.â? Some have argued that this attitude, which refuses to include race statistics in the name of equality, shows a disregard for the disparities faced by racialized Canadians. While other provincial health officials have acknowledged these disparities, they have yet to put them into action, instead suggesting that such measures may be considered in the future. Despite months of advocacy, Canadaâ??s Public Health Agency is â??still only consideringâ? adding race to the data gathered on age, gender, and exposure.

Perhaps overlooked in this debate is the impact this decision could have on Canadian communities of colour, who represent a significant proportion of the population: 22.3 per cent in 2016. People of colour also made up almost a quarter (22 per cent) of Canadaâ??s labour force

in 2016, and a notable amount of people of colour have been on the frontline of the pandemic. With this in mind, it is crucial to recognize the racial disparities which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

By no means do all Canadians have the same experiences: communities of colour still experience low political representation, unequal wages, and fear of seeking proper care due to precarious immigration statuses or previous experiences of racism. This has been made evident by requests for financial and material support made by First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, who argue that systemic racism has made Indigenous communities more vulnerable to the virusâ?? toll.

By attempting to dichotomize race and susceptibility, Canadian officials promote a dangerous â??colourblindâ? approach that minimizes racial inequality and injustice. Despite an overwhelming amount of health-based evidence irrefutably linking vulnerability and race, similar trends have taken place in countries such as France for decades. The word â??raceâ?? has been removed from the countryâ??s constitution, and law enforcement are reluctant to reveal race-based statistics despite growing evidence that race plays a role in the likelihood of being addressed, arrested and abused by French police. This â??colourblindâ? approach has led to race also being excluded from Franceâ??s COVID-19 data, which is an inequitable outlook on equality. Acknowledging racial differences in health data is also crucial for Canada to begin gathering racial data in law enforcement, as race-specific data is currently not collected for those who â??were on the other end of the firearm, taser, pepper spray, or physical restraintâ? with the RCMP.

In a critical turning point, provinces such as Manitoba, Ontario and Québec have recently announced decisions to include race in COVID-19 data collection in response to mounting protests. It is imperative that other provinces and territories follow in a timely manner, and that the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada recognizes the importance of racial data in health statistics. Only then will BIPOC Canadians be accurately represented and reflected on a national level, and will policies promoting improved healthcare access, social services, and economic equality in communities of colour be taken seriously.

* It is necessary to note that these figures have been compiled by an independent non-partisan laboratory, and not by the U.S. government.

Edited by Lewie Haar.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and they do not reflect the position of the McGill Journal of Political Studies or the Political Science Studentsâ?? Association.

About: The McGill Journal of Political Studies

https://mjps.ssmu.ca/2020/06/17/opinion-why-canadas-decision-to-exclude-race-from-covid-19-statistics-is-fundamentally-flawed/

The McGill Journal of Political Studies (MJPS) is the journal of the Political Science Studentsâ?? Association (PSSA) of McGill University. MJPS contains two divisions: print and online. The two divisions work together to provide

premier political analysis and showcase work from the best political science students at McGill University and beyond. Both divisions highlight exceptional work produced by undergraduates across all four political science disciplines offered at McGill: international relations, comparative politics, political theory, and Canadian politics.

 

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