Canada ‘caved in to racism’ in banknote design

The head of Canada’s central bank has apologised for a decision, made in 2009 based on feedback from focus groups, to remove the picture of an Asian-looking woman on its new 100 dollar banknote.


The new polymer banknote, in circulation since November 2011, shows a female scientist peering down a microscope, as well as a bottle of insulin. The image was supposed to celebrate Canada’s medical innovations.

But in 2009 the bank made the decision to change the picture fearing that it would “racialise” the note.

Before it was released, eight focus groups tasked with examining the public reaction to the new note decided that it showed “an inappropriate stereotype – that Asians have an affinity for the sciences.”

“Some [members of the focus groups] have concerns that the researcher appears to be Asian,” said a 2009 report commissioned by the Bank of Canada from The Strategic Counsel, which was obtained by the Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

“Some believe that it presents a stereotype of Asians excelling in technology and/or the sciences. Others feel that an Asian should not be the only ethnicity represented on the banknotes. Other ethnicities should also be shown.”

The revelation caused outrage in the country’s large Asian community – 1.4 million Canadians can trace their ancestry to China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.

- France24.com