By Lincoln DePradine
Caribbean international locations, now being assisted by Canadians in rebuilding their economies and infrastructure from the ravages wrought by Hurricane Beryl, may have acquired extra assist with a collaborative mechanism that features a “catastrophe fund’’ owned and operated by members of the Black and Caribbean neighborhood in Canada, says labour statistician and migration advisor, Dr C. Justine Pierre.
He’s a researcher and director of Black-owned and Ontario-based DPBA – Dunn, Pierre, Barnett & Firm Canada Ltd. – thathas begun constructing what’s being referred to as a Canadian Black Knowledge Portal (CBDP), which emphasizes the necessity for a rise in African-Canadian companies.
“Enterprise makes your neighborhood develop,’’ mentioned Pierre, who additionally commented on the CBDP. “A multi-functional CBDP is not only important however essential; it provides a beacon of hope for a extra data-driven future, contributing to the expansion and sustainability of the Black and Canadian financial system,” he added.
“For the primary time, we’ll have one supply of knowledge, owned and administered by Black folks, that might be used for our folks and would assist information us as to what’s particularly wanted in our neighborhood right here and elsewhere, together with the Caribbean. With a month-to-month contribution of at the least $20, we additionally may have a pool of cash, in a catastrophe fund, of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.”
DPBA’s specialised providers embody amassing, disseminating and analyzing knowledge –together with administrative, major, labour power, and migration statistics – on numerous populations globally.
In additional than 15 years of enterprise, the corporate additionally has labored extensively within the Caribbean, particularly in conducting labour market wants assessments.
DPBA, as properly, has carried out analysis on Black, Indigenous, and Folks of Color (BIPOC) populations throughout Canada and overseas.
Pierre, utilizing knowledge gleaned from DPBA’s analysis, mentioned African-Canadians are closely centered on community-oriented teams, with “one group per 833 people’’.
Altogether, Canada’s Black neighborhood has greater than 1,800 not-for-profit organizations, Pierre advised The Caribbean Digicam.
The scenario has contributed to a close to shutout of Black folks from Canada’s grouping of millionaires and billionaires, who focus “on constructing sturdy companies and establishments that concentrate on generational wealth and, on the identical time, supporting their communities” in areas such banking, supermarkets, hospitals, faculties, and distribution and manufacturing centres, mentioned Pierre.
“The sturdy and profitable companies concentrate on helping youthful generations by way of internships and neighborhood help; in different phrases, the companies help the neighborhood. These teams additionally actively search out and financially help each other. As well as, the extra affluent people and organizations in these teams, financially help the lesser companies.’’
Pierre, underscoring the significance of the CBDP, and the utilization of synthetic intelligence (AI), described knowledge as “unquestionably, one of many world’s most useful sources”.
Dunn, Pierre, Barnett & Firm has began the BCDP, a “complete database on all that’s happening within the Black neighborhood’’, after amassing data on “about 35 indicators”, which embody knowledge resembling earnings and wages, occupation, age, journey habits and psychological well being, Pierre revealed.
The information, he mentioned, “can assist higher information authorities insurance policies’’ directed at helping Black Canadians.
An institutionalized CBDP is a “distinctive and significant part of Black empowerment”, Pierre argued. “Black knowledge is not only a instrument, however a potent catalyst for change. It holds the potential to not solely empower, but in addition to forecast, consider, and assess wants, priorities, and emergencies.”
Pierre famous that many within the Black neighborhood are “reticent to share private, household, social, monetary and enterprise data in public opinion surveys”.
Nevertheless, he emphasised their involvement in tasks such because the Canadian Black Knowledge Portal, for which DPBA is in search of funding to additional develop it.
Pierre, pointing to the Black neighborhood’s reliance “on constructing sturdy not-for-profit organizations, quite than on constructing companies”, reiterated that, “what it takes to construct your nation is enterprise; and, enterprise helps the neighborhood. However, we have now it the incorrect approach and we’re at all times ready to must go to authorities and beg for cash”.
Pierre confused the significance of funding that’s invested in enterprise improvement and job creation.
“Advocating for elevated funding and prioritizing Black enterprise improvement are important to raise the variety of Black employers in Canada from 27,000 to 60,000 by 2027, with every enterprise having at the least 5 staff. A flourishing Black enterprise sector will increase job alternatives for our youngsters and the neighborhood,’’ he mentioned.
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