Statement by Minister Khera on Asian Heritage Month

OTTAWA, May 1, 2024

Happy Asian Heritage Month Canada!

This year’s theme for Asian Heritage Month is Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future: Amplifying Asian Canadian Legacy. In total, about 20 percent of Canadians can trace their ancestry back to more than 50 different countries in Asia.

For more than 200 years, Asian Canadians have helped make Canada the country we know and love today. In the arts, sports, sciences, business, politics and social justice, the contributions of Asian Canadians can be found everywhere in Canadian society.

Unfortunately, Asian communities still face challenges in Canada, including systemic barriers, racism and discrimination.

To address this, our government has invested more than $260 million since 2018-19 in two Canadian strategies to combat systemic racism and discrimination as well as in Canada’s first Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

As we continue our work, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024-25, with $29.3 million ongoing, for the Action Plan to support community outreach and law enforcement reform, tackle the rise in hate crimes, enhance community security, counter radicalization, and increase support for victims.

Throughout May, I want to encourage all Canadians to come together in celebrating Asian Heritage Month by learning more about Asian cultures in all their diversity.

Happy Asian Heritage Month.