City, agencies, organizations to explore racism in week of events

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This article was published 01/03/2021 (1916 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg will launch an anti-racism week later in March as one step to combat systemic racism.

“Systemic racism exists at all levels of government and every department of those governments. As the mayor of this level of government, your municipal government, I’m committed to addressing it,” Brian Bowman told a news conference Monday.

From March 21 to 27, the city will join Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, Elmwood Community Resource Centre, Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties, Human Rights Hub and Black History Manitoba to host events that explore the question: “What would Winnipeg look like without racism?”

The effort to combat racism comes in the wake of allegations against four Winnipeg firefighters, who were accused of failing to provide proper medical care in October to a 23-year-old Indigenous woman who had stabbed herself in the throat. An independent review of the issue later concluded that “implicit racial bias” was involved in the incident.

Anti-racism week will begin with a virtual launch event on March 21 at 2 p.m., which coincides with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. A series of events will follow, including a “human library,” that aims to challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue with other people, online on March 22.

Additional events are listed at winnipeg.ca/antiracism.

“We are hopeful that we can use this time to learn about each other, as colleagues, neighbours and residents, and to also explore how we can work together to combat the racism that continues to exist within the City of Winnipeg,” said Loretta Ross, treaty commissioner of the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

The city has also committed to train all of its staff on anti-oppression, anti-racism and cultural competency.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga