The measures announced in this section will have a positive impact on those who experience higher rates of violence and crime, as well as those who experience discrimination and racism. Gun violence is a growing problem in Canada’s biggest city. Young men, in particular, are at disproportionate risk of firearm injuries: of all firearm deaths among 15-to 24-year olds between 2008 and 2012, 94% were in males.
In 2019, almost 50% of hate crimes reported to the police were motivated by hate of an ethnicity or race. Additionally, since the pandemic began, there has been an 88% increase in reports to Cybertips.ca of sextortion and online exploitation, and between 2010 and 2017 there were 364 cyber hate crimes in Canada reported to the police.
We know that discrimination and racism in the police force and in the justice system is also a big problem and in 2019, 35% of racialized Canadians and 30% of Indigenous peoples reported not having confidence in the police. What is more, 40% of people living with mental illness are arrested at least once in their lives.
Of veterans with disabilities the majority are 65 years and older. While rates of employment for veterans are generally low, women veterans are even less likely to be employed.
Our foreign policy is guided by a commitment to create economic growth for everyone; to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion; to protect the environment; and to defend democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. We know that women and children, LGBTQ2, and people with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by persecution, arbitrary detention, conflict, climate change, economic disparities, and food insecurity. Our Feminist International Development Assistance Policy requires that 95% of programming include a gender element and why we include gender and environmental chapters in new trade agreements. That’s also why we take a gendered approach to defending democracy and human rights everywhere.
Our measures to end discrimination, sexual misconduct, and gender-based violence in the military will directly benefit women in all their diversity, racialized Canadians, and LGBTQ2 people as well as their families.