When social justice becomes abnormal: the rise of ‘anti-woke’ politics in Canada

As evidence-based reforms are consistently framed as politically contentious, institutions are constrained, democratic deliberation narrows, and public trust is eroded.

Canada needs a politics in which reconciliation, rights, inclusion, and evidence-based policy are core elements of a healthy, pluralistic democracy, writes Malinda S. Smith. Unsplash photograph by Clay Banks

Opinion

BY MALINDA SMITH

October 6, 2025

The word “woke” has evolved dramatically. Originating in African-American communities, it initially signalled vigilance against systemic injustice and inequality. In the 1930s, blues musician Lead Belly urged audiences to “stay woke” to the threat of white supremacy....

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