March 18 2025

In 1960, at least 69 people were killed and over 180 were injured by police in Sharpeville, South Africa, while peacefully protesting apartheid “Pass Laws”. In response, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  

Although stemming from the brave pursuit of racial justice in South Africa, the theme of this international observance is all too familiar in Canada. In fact, the pass laws used to subjugate Black and Indigenous people in South Africa were adapted from the pass laws introduced against Indigenous peoples in Canada by the colonial government.   

NUPGE remains committed to the elimination of racial discrimination, both in Canada and across the globe, and recognizes the way injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are committed to working with Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities, and with groups like the Black Class Action Secretariat, NUPGE’s Anti-Racism Committee, and NUPGE’s Indigenous Issues Committee to recognize, name, and eliminate racism from our workplaces, unions, and society.