I'm older than most, in my 70s. I will affirm that, for as long as I have lived, Canadians have been racist. I will also affirm that racism is 'normal' throughout North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia ~ East and South Asia, anyway. We, humans, all seem to fear the others, those who don't look and sound like us, or, at the very least, to prefer the familiar, those who do look and sound like us ~ birds of a feather, and all that.
When I first served there were very few ~ some, always, but never many ~ blacks or Asians in the CF. But there were lots of aboriginals. My sense was that some overt racism was always present, even at high levels, especially in speech ~ I'm sure that damned near every aboriginal soldier, back in the 1960s, was used to being called "chief," or something. But, generally, and again in my memory, they were treated with as much respect (or lack of same) as other soldiers. Just like everyone else some aboriginal soldiers were outstanding and some were bums ~ in exactly the same proportions as every one else.
My personal experience, over a long life with a lot of overseas service, including in Africa and Asia, has taught me that people, humans, are all pretty much alike: smart and stupid, honest and venal, skilled and inept, brave and cowardly in exactly the same proportions. What differs, in different cultures, is how we treat one another.
My personal experience, again, is that the CF is slightly more of a meritocracy than are other parts of society. Sure there is some overt racism and there are some evident racists but, broadly and generally, soldiers are respected, or not, and promoted, or not, based on what they know and how they perform their duties, not on the colour of their skin or their religion.
Do some people experience racism? Yes, I'm sure they do. Is it systemic? No. Should we investigate complaints? Yes, absolutely! And we should report our findings, publicly ~ whether they make us look good or not so good.