Former co-chair of Alberta’s anti-racism council calls on government to release recommendations

2021/02/01 Leave a comment

Of note, but not surprising. Focus on “dinner and dance:”

A former co-chair of Alberta’s Anti-Racism Advisory Council is calling for the government to publicly release the group’s report and its recommendations to combat racism.

The Alberta government has not committed to releasing the report, which it received earlier this month. Heather Campbell said in a Twitter thread Wednesday the public should press them to.

“The report should be made public. Demand it be so. With racism, silence is merely an act of complicity,” she wrote, also noting that her experience serving on the council has been challenging and difficult.

Source: Former co-chair of Alberta’s anti-racism council calls on government to release recommendations

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Anti-racism council unsure if it will continue its work under UCP government

2019/11/23 Leave a comment

More a rhetorical than a real question. Unlikely:

A government-led council dedicated to combat racism in Alberta appears to be in limbo, with its members saying they haven’t received any concrete direction on the future of their mandate from the new United Conservative government.

The Anti-Racism Advisory Council was put together under the NDP government in February, shortly before April’s provincial election that ended with a change in government. Spearheaded by then-education minister David Eggen, the council was the first of its kind in Alberta, and advised the government on the development of anti-racism and anti-discrimination programs.

The council has since been shifted to Multiculturalism and Status of Women Minister Leela Aheer, her ministry has confirmed. But since the change of government, the 24-member council hasn’t been active and hasn’t received any direction from Aheer on their mandate.

Heather Campbell and Lucenia Ortiz, the co-chairs of the advisory council, said they were introduced briefly to Aheer in a phone conversation May 24.

“We have not heard from minister Aheer or from any of her staff since then,” the co-chairs said in an email. They added they worry about the future of the council, as the new fiscal plan for the ministry makes no mention of funding allocated specifically to the council.

“It would be difficult for the council to hold meetings when there are no resources to cover travel and accommodation for many out-of-town members,” the co-chairs said. The council was intended to do the bulk of its work with the government in Edmonton, they added.

Aheer’s spokesperson Danielle Murray said in a statement that continuing to support diversity and inclusion is a priority of the government. Murray, however, did not answer questions about whether funding has been specifically allocated for the council to continue its work.

The Anti-Racism Advisory Council is part of a larger initiative that began under the previous government to take more bold action on addressing racism in the province, following the Quebec mosque shooting that killed six people and injured 19 in early 2017. Following the announcement of the council, the province received more than 300 applicants for its 24 seats.

The initiative also included the Anti-Racism Community Grant, meant to fund community programs specifically catered to addressing racism and discrimination at a local level. But that grant has since been consolidated under a broader Community Initiatives Program grant, Murray said.

“This broader grant stream will target grassroots multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion projects to build greater cultural awareness so that all Albertans feel their culture is valued,” Murray said.

The Alberta Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund, valued at $1 million per year, has also been dissolved. Tasked with funding anti-racism and anti-discrimination programs in Alberta, the grant has existed in some form or another since 1988, according to Cam Stewart, the commission’s communications manager.

Jasvir Deol, NDP MLA for Edmonton-Meadows, said it’s concerning the Anti-Racism Advisory Council has not yet received any direction from the United Conservative government. He said racial minorities have historically lacked representation in Alberta, and the council promoted the diversity of the province and tried to include their voices at the table.

“(They’re) running away from their responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive province,” Deol said. He added he believes a platform is needed to reflect the diversity of Alberta, and address the real challenges that racial and religious minorities face both at their places of worship and in their daily lives.

Source: Anti-racism council unsure if it will continue its work under UCP government

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