Dan Philip: The Struggle Against Racial Discrimination

Photo : Gunther Gamper.

As part of its series of articles on major personalities who have furthered the cause of tolerance in Canada, Tolerance.ca® presents Dan Philip, president of the Black Coalition of Quebec. Portrait of a man who has worked tirelessly to bring ethnic communities together and eliminate the last barriers of racial discrimination.

It was on the beautiful island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean, home to 150,000 people, that Dan Philip came into the world in 1939. Discovered by Europeans in the early 16th century, St. Lucia was colonized first by the British, then by the French. The two countries fought over the island for 150 years and it changed hands 14 times before the British finally took control in 1814.

Today, the cultural influence of both nations subsists among the mostly Black, English-speaking population. "People also speak a creole that resembles Haitian Creole," explains Dan Philip in an interview, speaking with an accent that many people would take for Haitian.

Born into a large family, Philip recalls that in his youth, St. Lucia lived by tourism and agriculture. Although his father was a businessman, the young Philip was drawn to the ideal of social justice and soon entered left-wing organizations and the trade-union sector.

The United States at the Height of Black Power

Wanting to pursue graduate studies, Philip left his homeland for the United States just before he turned 30. That was in 1968, the year of all revolutions. Four years earlier, African Americans had obtained full legal equality, with the adoption of the Civil Rights Act abolishing all forms of segregation. But leaders of the emerging Black Power movement feared that racial discrimination would never really end.


		What is tolerance? "I don't think tolerance is the best word to describe relations between people. I prefer another word: acceptance. Because a person can be tolerated without being accepted…" Dan Philip.

"There were both negative and positive aspects to Black Power," says Philip, thinking back to that era. "It was an important movement for raising consciousness. But it had an extremist side to it; marginal elements within the movement wanted to overthrow Whites and give power to Blacks."

While he was aware of the ongoing struggles in American society, Philip had gone there to study. He devoted his time and energy to his university work at Rhodes College and obtained a degree in education in 1974. "During those years, I was mainly concerned with improving my lot. I can't say that it was a difficult situation for me. I lived in neighbourhoods where there were lots of Blacks and I didn't experience any real problems with racism."

Immigration to Quebec

Nonetheless, crime was rampant in the United States and Philip soon felt the need for a change of environment. In 1972, he came to Quebec and settled in Montreal. "Right from the start, I liked Quebec-there was almost no crime. At first, it was difficult because I had a hard time expressing myself. But I went to university and after that, I understood Quebec society better." He earned a diploma in political science from Concordia University in 1979.

Philip remained active in the trade unions and joined the Black Coalition of Quebec (BCQ) in the late 1970s. Since then, he has been its president. The BCQ aims to defend the rights of Blacks and represents the interests of the Black community in Quebec, estimated at 250,000 people. The BCQ also devotes considerable efforts to popular education, in order to ensure that the rights of all citizens are respected and raise awareness among governments and private enterprise of the importance of equal opportunities, particularly in terms of employment.

Rebel With a Cause

The 1980s were eventful years for the BCQ. In 1981, Philip staged the first Montreal protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa. Demonstrations were also held to protest the policies of a club on Ste. Catherine St. that refused to let Blacks in. "After that, the bar got a new owner and a new name. Blacks were allowed in from then on," recalls Philip.

In 1983, the BCQ was behind protests against the discrimination suffered by Black taxi drivers. "No one wanted to hire Blacks in the taxi industry. We demanded justice and as you can see now, there's been a big change!" he exclaims with a burst of laughter.

Keder Hyppolite, director of the Service d'aide aux néo-Québécois et aux immigrants, has known Dan Philip for more than 20 years. They were both militants in the Black Coalition of Quebec. To Hyppolite, Philip is a great leader who takes his inspiration from Martin Luther King. "He's a rebel," explains Hyppolite, "a man who defends social justice and detests all forms of discrimination. He's a fighter who never lets go. Wherever he sees inequity and injustice, he will always fight against it."

As a result of both evolving attitudes and the BCQ's efforts, progress has been made over the past 20 years in Montreal, Philip believes. "People accept us much more. Integration is easier and there has been an improvement in citizen relations. But it's not all rosy: in certain situations, racism still exists."

Relations between Blacks and the Police

One area where problems persist is relations between the Black community and the Montreal police force. In Philip's opinion, Blacks are all too often victims of harassment, unjustified arrest, and police blunders that have even led to death in several cases.

Three incidents in particular have shaken the community over the past 20 years. On November 11, 1987, Anthony Griffin was shot in the head by a police officer in the parking lot of Station 15, after the police claimed he tried to escape. On July 6, 1991, another young black man, Marcellus François, aged 24, was shot at the wheel of his car by a SWAT team member. And on May 31, 1995, a 23-year-old Latin-American man, Martin Suazo, was killed in disturbing circumstances: arrested for shoplifting, he was shot in the head by a policeman, who claims his gun went off by mistake.

Improving relations between Blacks and the police is perhaps the hottest issue confronting the BCQ, admits Philip. "Relations with the population at large have changed over the past 20 years. But in the case of the police, I can't say there has been much progress despite several inquiries into their conduct," deplores Philip.

The Challenge of Employment Integration

Another of Dan Philip's key concerns is the employment situation and the integration of Blacks into the workforce. Studies compiled by the BCQ show that Blacks aged 24 to 44 have a higher education level than the Quebec population as a whole, yet unemployment is twice as high among young Blacks in Montreal. Philip believes that systemic discrimination is at work and better communication between business people and Black citizens would improve the situation.

Social justice advocate Yves Manseau describes Dan Philip as a principled, big-hearted man. "He speaks for the have-nots but does not put himself above them," Manseau observes. "When you are a public personality, you have to accept criticism. While Dan has often been on the receiving end of criticism, his opponents have always recognized his worth."

Building Bridges

Philip believes in dialogue and communication as the key to eliminating the last barriers of racial discrimination. He visits schools to speak to schoolchildren, promote non-violence and speak out against injustice. He also gives talks to business people, encouraging them to show more open-mindedness.

In 2001, in recognition of his community involvement, Dan Philip was named Volunteer of the Year in Quebec. The previous year, he received the Rosa Parks Award from the Canadian Human Rights Commission for his efforts in promoting and defending human rights and social justice.

"What I like most about him," says Yves Manseau, "is that he extends his efforts to all those who suffer from injustice, no matter what their race. He understands that the mechanics of exclusion go beyond such considerations. He is driven by indignation and his strength is in putting his experience to work on behalf of those who suffer from discrimination."

Translated by Christine York.

This article is one of a ten-part series made possible with the financial support of

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