National plan against South Asian hate
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to publicly recognize escalating anti–South Asian hatred and establish a coordinated national action plan that investigates causes and online spread, aligns federal anti‑racism programs, and clarifies public communications.
Why we would sign this petition
- Creates a coordinated federal response to a documented escalation, improving safety and resources for South Asian communities.
- A formal study of causes and online propagation would inform targeted prevention and law‑enforcement strategies.
- Explicit guidance in federal communications can help separate legitimate policy debate from racialized collective blame.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Implementing a national plan requires federal funding and capacity, which may divert resources from other priorities.
- Mandating new federal studies and programs could duplicate existing provincial, municipal or community efforts.
- Defining and policing the boundary between criticism of policy and racial hate can be legally and operationally difficult, raising free‑speech concerns.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Anti-South Asian hatred in Canada has escalated at an alarming rate; Research presented by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs in April 2026 reported that anti-South Asian hate online increased by 1,350% between 2023 and 2024; Statistics Canada reported that police-reported hate crimes targeting South Asians increased from 324 in 2024 to 483 in 2025, a 49% increase in one year and a 189% increase since 2021; South Asian Canadians are entitled to equal concern and protection against hatred and racial discrimination; and Legitimate debate concerning immigration policy, housing, employment and public services should remain clearly distinguished from racial or collective blame directed toward South Asian Canadians. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Publicly recognize the documented escalation of anti-South Asian hatred and establish a coordinated national action plan to address it; 2. Examine and publicly report on the causes, sources and online propagation of anti-South Asian hatred in Canada; 3. Ensure that federal anti-racism, hate-prevention, community-security and public-awareness programs respond proportionately to the documented escalation of hatred targeting South Asians; and 4. Clearly distinguish, in federal public communications, legitimate debate and criticism concerning immigration policy from racial or collective blame directed toward South Asian Canadians.
Government response
No government response is available yet.