Alberta Human Rights Information Service July 29, 2005
In this issue:
Alberta Community Development human rights and diversity news
Other human rights and diversity news:
Alberta news
Other Canadian news
Related websites and publications
Commission news
- The Commission recently updated its website with these panel decisions:
Les Halter v. Ceda-Reactor Limited (May 16, 2005; Beth Bryant, Panel Chair)
John Chiasson v. Kellogg, Brown & Root (Canada) Company (Halliburton Group Canada Inc.) (February 14, 15, 16 and March 1, 2005; HColonel (Ret'd) Delano W. Tolley, Panel Chair)
Leona Smith v. Fawcett Truck Stop (January 21, 2005; Diane Colley-Urquhart, Panel Chair)
- Re-appointment of commissioner: Diane Colley-Urquhart has been reappointed as a member of the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission. See the Order in Council. Read the biographies of all commissioners.
- Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission Strategic Plan: The Commission's 2005-2006 Strategic Plan is available on the Commission website.
- Time limit for making human rights complaints: The Commission has clarified its policy on calculating the one-year time limit for submitting human rights complaints.
PLEASE NOTE: In the following sections of the newsletter, we publish news and information provided by other organizations. We also cite other websites related to human rights and diversity. The Commission provides this information as a service and is not responsible for the content provided by other organizations on their websites or by other means. Please direct comments or inquiries regarding these organizations or their websites to the organization in question.
Alberta Community Development human rights and diversity news
- Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund
Grant deadline: The next deadline for applications for funding from the HRCM Education Fund is October 3, 2005.
The HRCM Education Fund provides financial assistance to community organizations that are undertaking human rights and diversity initiatives that lead to change.
New grants: The Education Fund recently awarded ten new grants. Read the news release.
Completed projects: Several projects that have received support from the Fund are highlighted below:
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre has developed a video and user guide about discrimination and harassment of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender and transsexual youth. The resource ".but words DO hurt: stories from GLBTT youth" meets a need for information, which was identified by students, educators and other professionals.
The Don't Buy In project, developed by the Cultural Resources Unit of the Calgary Police Service, encourages youth to respect diversity and address hate and bias activity. One the main components of the initiative is an interactive website for youth and teachers. The website, http://www.dontbuyin.ca/, is currently being revised, and the new version will be launched within a month. It includes a variety of strategies for addressing hate and bias activity, as well as information about these issues. The Education Fund provided grants in 2002 and 2004-2005 to help develop this initiative. Constable Doug Jones, who is now retired from the Calgary Police Service, received a 2005 Alberta Crime Prevention Award for his work on this project and in the community. Read the news release.
Race and Respect is a bilingual teaching resource developed by the Northern Alberta Alliance on Race Relations. This resource presents activities ideal for teaching about human rights, anti-racism, multiculturalism, and diversity. The activities are tailored to fit objectives of Alberta's Social Studies and CALM (Career and Life Management) courses and can be easily adapted for other courses.
You can read more about projects that the HRCM Education Fund has funded.
New scholarship: The inaugural Alberta Award for the Study of Canadian Human Rights and Multiculturalism has been granted to Marlene Mulder in support of her post-graduate studies in Sociology at the University of Alberta. Her thesis, Capitalizing on Social Capital to Optimize Settlement Strategies, will explore how the personal strengths of immigrants have helped them settle and adjust to life in Canada. The Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund Advisory Committee established this scholarship in recognition of Alberta's Centennial. Read the news release.
- Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Citizenship Medals and Scholarships: This awards program recognizes five graduating high school students for their outstanding contribution to their schools and communities through their citizenship, leadership, community service and volunteer work. The 2005 recipients attended a special ceremony in May, where they received their medals and $5,000 scholarships. The ministries of Community Development and Advanced Education jointly administer the awards program. Read the news release.
Other human rights and diversity news
- Government review of advanced education: The Alberta government will conduct a comprehensive review of the province's advanced learning system this summer and fall. Called A Learning Alberta: Framing the Challenge, the review will look at all aspects of Alberta's adult learning system, including accessibility for under-represented groups. The public is invited to submit their comments on the discussion documents by August 19, 2005.
One of the background papers for the review is Accommodating Learners with Disabilities in Post-Secondary Education in Alberta: A Review of Policies, Programs, and Support Services. In the fall of 2004, Alberta Learning and Alberta Community Development commissioned this environmental scan. The publication states that "the purpose of the study was to better understand the myriad of issues impacting learners with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education in Alberta." The study cites the Commission publication Duty to accommodate students with disabilities in post-secondary educational institutions as an educational resource that has had a positive impact on accommodation at post-secondary institutions. - Government of Alberta addresses bullying: An Alberta government initiative will help children make positive, empowering choices when confronted by a bully. The S-Team Heroes help kids build their own personal esteem and encourages them to find their "hero" within. The focal point of the program is an interactive online game that can be found on the S-Team Heroes website at http://www.teamheroes.ca/. Read the news release.
- Racial Harmony Campaign 2005: Central Alberta Diversity Association holds an annual video competition to promote anti-discrimination messages throughout Alberta. View the winning videos for 2005. Also of note are the black and white diversity photographs on CADA's website. The Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund provided funding for the photo project in 2000.
- Ontario Human Rights Commission racism policy: The Ontario commission recently released its Policy and Guidelines on Racism and Racial Discrimination. Building on its recent examination into the effects of racial profiling, the Commission's policy focuses particularly on systemic discrimination. Read the news release.
- Ontario accessibility law: The landmark Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act--legislation that will break down barriers for people with disabilities--recently received royal assent and is now the law. The new law will require government to work with the disability community and the private and public sectors to jointly develop standards to be achieved in stages of five years or less, leading to an accessible Ontario in 20 years. Read the news release.
Related websites and publications
- Working Precariously: The impact of race and immigration status on employment opportunities and outcomes in Canada: There is significant evidence that racial discrimination continues to deny access to meaningful employment and negatively affect the earnings of members of racialized groups and new immigrants in Canada, says this new report released jointly by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) and the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). Read the news release.
- Go Ahead: Sweat the Small Stuff: This report from the Conference Board of Canada asserts: "Microinequities may be small, but they pose a major issue for businesses today. Left unchecked, these inequities will accumulate and become a drag on employee productivity, corporate culture, and, ultimately, a company's ability to keep top talent."
- Hiring skilled immigrants: Visit http://www.hireimmigrants.ca/. From the website: "This site answers the question 'Why Hire Immigrants?' It was designed to assist you--the hiring decision makers and business leaders who drive Canada's economy--to source, select, develop and welcome skilled immigrants as creative contributors to your workforce." Also of interest is the website of the Calgary-based Directions for Immigrants in Trades and Professional Careers at http://www.ditpc.ca/.
Due to confidentiality concerns, the Commission cannot reply
to complaints of discrimination using the Internet.
Please contact the Commission by telephone or regular mail
if you have a specific complaint.
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