text: "Yet a common perception is that racism is worse than ever."
  
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  Is it really a common perception?  Those of us who have actually lived since the 1950s must surely recognize that racism has been pushed back into a corner.  That was back when first nations people couldn't vote, Asians were barred by statute from entering the professions, a "mixed marriage" was a Protestant marrying a Catholic, and every parliament and legislature was uniformly white.  And almost entirely male, for that matter.
  
  The struggle's not over.  But "worse than ever?"  Is that what most Canadians believe?  I think I'll need to see some polling numbers before I'll swallow that.