What Black History Month means to me

February 22, 2022
Toronto, Ontario

News release

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Insp. Vance Morgan

My name is Vance Morgan and I am presently an Inspector in "O" Division, I have been the OIC for the Toronto IMET section for just under three years. As I was preparing to celebrate Black History month this year, I was asked to share my thoughts on what Black history month meant to me. As no one has asked me that before, I had to step back and reflect on my life experiences, relationships, and family history. As a member born in the Caribbean, I had lived in three countries by the time I was eight years of age. The reality of black history and the difference in advancement towards equality in different countries shaped my views of racial inequalities. I set the standard and expectations in which I would live, and strive for in both work and social settings.

I grew up in Chateauguay, Quebec and after graduating with an Economics Degree in the mid-1980s, I set my sight on becoming a Bank Manager. To be honest, becoming a police officer was not a career that I aspired to, but that would change in time. Through persistence, and after much resistance to my entering the banking system, I was finally hired as an assistant bank manager in commercial lending with the Bank of Nova Scotia and moved to Sarnia Ontario in 1989. I soon learned that I was an anomaly at the bank, as I did not have a family pedigree in banking, nor were there any other racialized minorities in the sector.

Shortly after moving to Sarnia, a memory that still stays with me, is that of a Sarnia Police Officer saying good morning to me as I entered the bank. This was not something that I had experienced before, and it took some time for me to digest and respond. This event along with other meaningful interaction with the police in Ontario, caused me to rethink my career choice. I strongly believe that if you want to change something, you must take opportunities outside of your comfort zone to facilitate it. In 1990, I joined the Sarnia Police and became the first black officer in the department. My approach was to not be like the police officers I grew up experiencing, relying on my life experience to successfully conduct investigations, treating both partners and clients with respect, and achieving a rank where I would be involved in the discussion for change. In 1996, I joined the RCMP with postings in "E" and "O" Division. Although I have seen some favourable changes towards equity within the RCMP in my 25-year service, I do believe there is still a long way to go to achieve parity and transparency.

In 2022, we will celebrate Black History month with the theme of health and wellness. Our history shows that there have been inequalities in the education system, employment, housing and ability to obtain optimal medical assistance. This is especially important as we make our way through the current Covid event. My pledge to you is that I shall continue to strive to be a voice for change in order to achieve accessibility in these areas of inequalities, and I challenge you to reach out to those in need. Martin Luther King had a dream, "Let's make it happen"

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Contact information

Written by:
Inspector Vance Morgan
Officer in Charge
Toronto Integrated Market Enforcement Team

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