News Diversity & Inclusion Managing/Leadership
Training, education essential to combat racism, sexism: former Tory leader Ambrose

OTTAWA — Former Opposition leader and ongoing advocate for girls’ rights Rona Ambrose says combating systemic racism requires training and education that begins in childhood.

Ambrose says that’s why she’s written a new book aimed at teaching kids about girls’ rights to mark the upcoming International Day of the Girl.

But she says it’s also essential that adults continue to learn, calling it “unconscionable” that professionals in the Quebec health-care system recently taunted an Indigenous woman with racial slurs.

While interim Conservative leader, Ambrose introduced a bill that would mandate training for judges to ensure they weren’t being influenced by stereotypes when rendering decisions in sexual assault cases.

The bill failed to pass before the last federal election but last week was reintroduced by the Liberal government and she says she’s confident it will pass this time.

Ambrose says that kind of training is essential for judges but also for anyone in a public-facing role.