Statement by Prime Minister Carney on Emancipation Day

CANADA, August 1 - “On this day in 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect across the British Empire, marking the beginning of emancipation for hundreds of thousands of African slaves and their descendants. Many journeyed north, following the Underground Railroad, to find freedom in Canada.

The enslavement of African people remains a despicable injustice in history, and its impacts reverberate across generations.

Today, we honour Black communities in Canada and across the world. In doing so, we also commit ourselves – as citizens and as a country – to build a stronger future where dignity and humanity for all are not aspirational ideals but enduring principles.”