Toronto Sun

• Although the reasons for suicide are complex, his family and lawyer released a statement linking his death to an anti-racism workshop he had attended.
• Those ardently opposed to “woke politics” are now using Bilkszto’s tragic death to decry anti-racism and equity work.
• The minister’s response as well as those by right-wing news media have helped to fuel a narrative that anti-racism and equity work is to blame.

Anti-racism training denigrated by news media

• The Daily Mail described the investigation into Bilkszto’s death as one that will look into “whether the obsession with woke policies may have contributed” to his death.
• The National Post wrote: “It’s no coincidence that Bilkszto came out humiliated” since “the DEI industry is designed to sell guilt and shame and perpetuate a culture of victimhood.” The Toronto Sun has suggested there is need to look at “the general issue of diversity, equity and inclusion training” concluding “reform may be sorely needed.”

Equity work disrupts ‘safe spaces’

• It begins with the acknowledgement of both historical and contemporary inequities and the premise that such work is needed to bring about equity.
• Even at its mildest, equity work involves taking some people outside of their comfort zone.
• But equity work at its most meaningful involves getting people to recognize that their comfort zone has depended on other people’s silence and marginalization.
• Yet equity work is often conducted within the context of a market-based relationship, where client priorities dictate the boundaries of change and disruptiveness.

The unspeakability of racism

• Many developed Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) policies, and several demonstrated a willingness to have difficult conversations on racism.
• Since then, the perceived urgency of this equity work has been steadily waning, yet the resistance to this work has remained forceful.
• Equity studies scholar Sheila Dawn Gill offered the term “unspeakability of racism” to describe the barriers to naming racism within Canadian spaces.

• Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 9, 2022) - Cannabis Wiki ('Cannabis Wiki', or the 'Company'), a leading media and technology provider focused on global cannabis content marketing, has acquired The Known Group Inc. ('Known Group'), a cannabis and wellness communications and marketing agency.
• Founder and President of The Known Group, Jessica Moran will become the Chief Business Development Officer for Cannabis Wiki, and a Director of the Cannabis Wiki Board, while maintaining the role of President of The Known Group.
• Cannabis Wiki is a leading media and technology provider focused on global cannabis content marketing, executing on an ambitious multi-channel strategy to serve the global cannabis industry through their unique Content Flow Management platform.
• Known Group Inc. was a group of passionate cannabis industry advocates with over 25 years in communications and digital marketing experience with key connections spanning media, healthcare, technology, cannabis and psychedelics.

• Postmedia is a Canadian news media company representing more than 160 brands, including the National Post, Toronto Sun and Vancouver Sun, across multiple print, online, and mobile platforms.
• Postmedia reaches 18.7 million Canadians each month across its platforms, including 10.3 million adults through mobile properties.
• "Postmedia has been an excellent partner and this relationship has been highly successful in driving Mogo's brand awareness, but perhaps more importantly, Mogo's credibility and trust with consumers.
• "We look forward to continuing our partnership with Mogo as they build one of the leading digital financial services brands in Canada."