If there's no candidates, then there's no candidates. It's that simple.

But it raises a more important question.

The question then is why are there no candidates today from established ethnic communities, such as the black Canadian community that has existed in Nova Scotia since the 18th and 19th century Maroon uprisings in Jamaica - or since the late 18th century in what was Upper Canada when Lt. Governor John Graves-Simcoe of that province outlawed slavery in his 1793 statute?

In theory, plenty of black people have lived in Canada as free people and not slaves since at least 1800. US Emancipation occurred in 1863, so Canada should be way ahead of the US in this regard.

You would not know that by looking at the history of politicians and leaders in Canada.

So why does this gap (continue to) exist?

http://www.meetup.com/brit-266/

Perhaps joining a British Expat group in Ottawa would help.

Thank you.

Perhaps that question should be directed to members of these groups and why has nobody stepped forward to run as they are certainly free and eligible to do so.
I remember years ago in the UK a certain Chief Constable was asked why there were very few black police officers and his reply that shocked many was that none were applying so how could he hire them. Now many work places have quotas to be met for ethnic and female employees.

I posit that the white Canadian majority population would not support their election.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tabl...emo52a-eng.htm

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tabl...emo24a-eng.htm

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tabl...emo26a-eng.htm

It's the majority population due to emigration - but it is changing, slowly.

Thanks.

So, roughly 84% of the Canadian population remains white European in origin.

The vast majority of that European immigration to Canada began in the 19th century, thereby effectively ousting the rights of Aboriginals and black Canadians who pre-existed the European immigrants. The minorities were simply crowded out.

Obviously, it's come down to a numbers game based on the race of the demographic majority. That explains much of the troubled parts of Canada's history.

I blame the Australians.

Such a demographic imbalance must have consequences for today's minority employment and equity statistics.

You should remember that those statistics are from the 2006 census - there have been a higher increase in immigration from non-Europeans since then.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc...rmanent/10.asp

You also have to take into consideration that the statistics for visible minorities are self identifying; not everyone who is from a visible minority will have identified themselves necessarily.

I concede that, but also it would be seriously doubtful if there was a change of more than 5% as a consequence.

We can still safely say that easily 80% of Canada remains white.

I blame Thatcher.

Why does it matter what the colour of the majority of the people are?

Because, in my view, it is doubtful that non-white Canadians would be or are equally supported for positions of high political office by the majority Canadian demography [there has been an historic lack of them despite their presence in Canada since at least 1800 and especially in leadership positions such as the military, law and to some extent medicine].

Historically, it may help to explain why Canadian Aboriginals received the treatment they did in the residential schools and explain their relocation to areas with which their ancestors had no connection.

Also, it is unlikely that employment and equity are currently being fairly distributed in their favour [supported by various studies showing under representation].

The Ontario provincial law society recently conducted an in-person survey of non-white lawyers across major centres in Ontario. The groups consisted of 10 to 15 attendees. The lawyers' feedback was not sugar-coated. The Law Society must be aware of a problem of opportunity parity in order to spend time and money doing this.

Probably less than 1% white, the rest are pinkies, so white are probably the smallest minority and the majority pinkies.