N.B. opens new anti-racism office while police racism review remains unresolved

New Brunswick has launched an anti-racism office to track responses to a 2022 systemic racism report, but the government did not commit to policing-related recommendations such as a task force or an Indigenous-led inquiry.

New Brunswick has established a provincial anti-racism office to track the government's response to a 2022 systemic racism report. The office is charged with monitoring progress on 86 recommendations and building partnerships, the government says. Officials did not commit to several policing-related recommendations, including a proposed task force and further action tied to coroner's inquests. Key details: - The government says work has begun or been completed on 59% of the 86 recommendations and that another 19% are identified to be initiated. - A government tracking website lists 19 items under an "other" category; those items include a policing task force called for in the 2022 report. - Coroner's inquests into the 2020 deaths of two Indigenous people produced recommendations that the province has not yet committed to implementing. - Mi'gmawe'l Tplu'taqnn Inc. and some First Nations leaders say they were not consulted on the updates and continue to call for an Indigenous-led public inquiry. Summary: The new anti-racism office will coordinate responses and engage partners while several policing-focused recommendations remain uncommitted. Undetermined at this time.