When the United Nations General Assembly officially declared the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans (slavery) a crime against humanity, 123 countries voted in favour of the resolution. Canada, however, chose to abstain. Canada’s abstention follows a pattern of silence despite repeated House of Commons petitions calling for a formal federal apology. For the 1.5 million peoples of African descent living across the country, this refusal to take a public stand is a deeply painful signal that continues a long history of federal avoidance regarding an historical systemic injustice. Africans were enslaved on Canadian soil for over 200 years as well as throughout European colonies across the world.
“Canada’s decision to abstain is a painful reminder of how we haven’t fully confronted this history. A real apology is a necessary step toward healing and justice for Black Canadians.” — Yolanda McClean, President, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Canada
Guided by CBTU-Canada Chapter President Yolanda McClean, and led by Mark Brown, the organization’s Communications and Social Media Officer, CBTU-Canada is calling on citizens to pressure the federal government for a formal apology and a clear public explanation for its ongoing refusal to issue such an apology. CBTU’s demand for recognition and justice falls within the 2nd UN Decade of Peoples of African descent and is a first step along the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent’s broader goals for reparatory justice.
Q: On March 25, 2026, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans a crime against humanity, yet Canada abstained. What message did that silence send to the 1.5 million Black Canadians across the country?
Mark Brown: Canada’s UN abstention follows an ongoing pattern of refusing to issue a formal apology acknowledging Canada’s role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans (slavery). When 123 countries voted in support of recognizing the trafficking of enslaved Africans as a crime against humanity, Canadians deserved to understand why our government would not use that historic vote as an opportunity to issue a formal apology.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” That quote resonates because this campaign is calling for honesty, accountability, and leadership. Canada has long presented itself as a champion of human rights on the world stage. When it abstains on an issue of this significance and fails to use that vote as an opportunity to issue a formal apology, that silence creates deep concerns about the government’s commitment to reparatory justice for peoples of African-descent.
Our campaign is asking for three things. First, a public explanation for Canada’s ongoing refusal to issue a formal apology,a formal apology acknowledging Canada’s role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and recognition that such an apology is the first step toward broader reparatory justice for peoples of African descent..
That’s what leadership looks like, and that’s what Black Canadians have every right to expect from their government.
Q: How does this campaign for a formal federal apology relate to the broader goals of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent?
Mark Brown: Our campaign supports the broader work of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent by focusing on one practical and achievable objective: encouraging Canada to acknowledge its history and take responsibility for it.
The Permanent Forum has called on governments around the world to confront the lasting impacts of the trafficking and enslavement of Africans through truth, recognition, justice, and meaningful action. A formal apology is one important step along that path.
CBTU-Canada participated in the UN consultation process held in Toronto and Ottawa, where issues such as reparatory justice, a UN Declaration on the rights of People of African Descent, and other measures to address the legacy of slavery and anti-Black racism were discussed. Similar such consultative processes are being held around the world. Those conversations reinforced that acknowledging history is an essential foundation for moving forward “under the law Africans were held as property while slaveholders were paid compensation for the loss of their property upon our Emancipation. Our humanity will not be fully released without recognition of those historical injustices”.
This CBTU led campaign is a first step toward the broader goals of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African descent for reparatory justice for peoples of African descent around the world.
Q: CBTU-Canada has launched this national campaign in recognition of Emancipation Day on August 1st. Why is this specific date so significant for launching this push for federal accountability?
Mark Brown: Emancipation Day is a significant date because it commemorates the day the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect across most of the British Empire on August 1, 1834. It represents a historic moment when enslaved Africans and their descendants began the long journey toward freedom, while also reminding us that the legacy of slavery did not end with emancipation.
For Black Canadians, Emancipation Day is an opportunity to reflect on our history, recognize the resilience of our ancestors, and continue the work of addressing the inequalities that have been shaped by that history.
Launching this campaign around Emancipation Day is a reminder that acknowledgement matters. We cannot fully move forward without honestly confronting the past. A formal apology from the Government of Canada would not erase history, but it would represent an important step in recognizing the experiences of Black Canadians and demonstrating a commitment to a more equitable future.
This campaign is about ensuring that Emancipation Day is not only a day of remembrance, but also a day of action.
Q: Your campaign outlines three clear demands for the federal government, starting with a public explanation of the UN abstention and its ongoing refusal to issue a formal apology. What are the other core objectives you are fighting to achieve?
Mark Brown: We are also calling on the federal government to formally acknowledge Canada’s role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans. Acknowledgement is an important part of reconciliation because a society cannot address the impacts of history without first recognizing that history.An apology is not about changing the past—it is about accepting responsibility, recognizing the experiences of Black Canadians, and demonstrating a commitment to building a more just and equitable future.
Finally we want that formal apology to be recognized as a first step along the broader UN process for reparatory justice for peoples of African descent.
These three steps—explanation, acknowledgement, and reparatory justice—represent meaningful actions that Canada can take to demonstrate leadership and move forward.
At the recent World Economic Forum Prime Minister Mark Carney has spoken about the importance of honesty and confronting challenges directly. Our campaign reflects those same principles. We are demanding that Canada engage in an honest conversation about our past to demonstrate leadership for the future.
Q: Despite multiple House of Commons petitions in the past, the federal government has repeatedly refused to formally recognize or apologize for Canada’s role in the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans (Slavery). Why do you think federal leadership continues to push back against these efforts?
Mark Brown: A Senator cited the wording of the UN resolution as the reason for the government’s abstention, but I think the challenge has really been that Canada has not fully confronted this part of its history. For many years, there has been a reluctance to have a national conversation about Canada’s role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and the lasting impact that history has had on Black communities.
Acknowledging history can be difficult, but leadership requires the courage to address difficult truths. Recognition and accountability are about understanding our history, acknowledging its impact, and taking meaningful steps toward reconciliation. Africans were enslaved on Canadian soil for over 200 years and that history forms an integral part of our national origin story that must be recognized as part of any meaningful reparatory justice process: “We have the right to be recognized as human beings.”
A formal apology would not change the past, but it would send an important message that the experiences of Black Canadians are recognized, that our history matters, and that Canada is prepared to move forward with greater honesty and accountability. Canada should set an example for the rest of the world by confronting its history and taking meaningful action.
Q: Through the Action Network platform, your campaign makes it easy for everyday citizens to message their Members of Parliament directly. How crucial is grassroots public pressure in forcing the federal government to act?
Mark Brown: Grassroots public pressure has always played an important role in creating meaningful change. Governments listen when citizens organize, participate, and make their voices heard. This campaign is built on the belief that every Canadian has the ability to contribute to a national conversation about truth, recognition, and accountability.
Through the Action Network platform, we have made it simple for people to participate. Supporters can enter their name, address, and postal code, review the prepared letter, make any changes they wish, and send a message directly to their Member of Parliament. This allows Canadians from across the country to take part, regardless of their level of experience with advocacy.
The goal is to demonstrate that this issue matters to people across Canada. Every message sent to an MP represents a citizen asking for transparency, acknowledgement, and action.
Ultimately, democracy works best when people engage with their elected representatives. This campaign gives Canadians an opportunity to help ensure that the history and experiences of Black Canadians are recognized and that the federal government takes meaningful steps towards an explanation, acknowledgement and apology for Canada’s role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans.
Canada’s recent UN abstention highlights a persistent gap between the country’s public human rights image and its actual legislative actions regarding historical reckoning. True reconciliation requires more than passive diplomacy; it demands a clear, public willingness to face uncomfortable historical truths. By allowing the federal government to sit on the sidelines of history, the country risks stalling progress toward genuine systemic equality.
The campaign spearheaded by CBTU-Canada provides a structured, vital framework for citizens to turn their frustration into direct political action. Achieving a formal federal apology will mark a massive step forward in honoring the dignity of Black Canadians and rectifying generational silence. Ensuring our leaders answer this call is fundamental to building a more accountable and just society.
To learn more, visit https://actionnetwork.org/letters/federal-apology-for-canadas-role-in-the-trafficking-of-enslaved-africans