President 's Report 2004

Ken Mandzuik, President

I am happy to report that the last year has been another successful one for MARL. We had the high of celebrating 25 years of hard work, and had the low of losing one of our organization’s shining stars, the late Dr Sybil Shack.

MARL was again involved with another year of the Asper Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program. As in past years, MARL’s participation was only possible through the generous financial assistance of the Winnipeg Foundation, who we thank for their continuing support. Together with our partner organization and funder (the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada and the Asper Foundation) we were able to ensure that our leaders of tomorrow are cognizant of how human rights came to be recognized, and the horrors that can result when those rights are ignored or forgotten. While the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. is an outstanding achievement, as Canadians, particularly as Manitobans, we are looking forward to the Canadian Human Rights Museum coming to the Forks. With the presence of a local museum, we as an organization must look ahead to how we can continue with our work of educating tomorrow’s leaders in human rights and civil liberties. I am happy to report that our active Education Committee is brainstorming, and I am confident that we will have big things to report in the coming years.

In being involved in an organization such as MARL, one is liable to meet varied and interesting people. One person who was with MARL from its inception (and indeed its predecessors) was Dr Sybil Shack, our Honourary President. I had the privilege of meeting with Dr Shack last December at her home with Valerie Price, where we presented her with a token of MARL’s appreciation for her long service. We talked at length about many things, and I was able to get a flavour of this extraordinary woman. MARL is privileged to have had such a long association with Dr Shack, and we will all sorely miss her.

Another MARL volunteer needing mention in this report is Abe Arnold. Abe was also one of the original founders, and was involved in the formation of MARL’s predecessors in the 1960s. He was also our first executive director, and was in that position for 10 years until his retirement. Abe’s résumé is, in a word, intimidating. He has accomplished so much in so many fields, that MARL merely being mentioned in association with Abe’s name brings us added credibility. MARL recognized Abe’s contributions at last year’s anniversary celebrations, and the Government of Canada took the hint and inducted Abe as a member of the Order of Canada this year. Our congratulations and thanks go out to Abe for this honour.

MARL has otherwise been busy this last year, with the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Program, board and committee meetings, planning for Human Rights Day and Holocaust Awareness programs. Our Executive Director, Valerie Price, continues to do MARL proud keeping involved and working with other groups, such as in our coalition for human equality. We’re also trying to become more visible, and the launch of our website last year has helped. We’ve done interviews with various media over the last year, including CBC, the Canadian Press and the Winnipeg Free Press, and we continue to make representations to the various legislative standing committees on bills that raise human rights or civil liberties concerns.

Let me close with thanks to outgoing board member Dr Lisa Sinclair for the hard work she has put in over the last four years, and we wish her well. Also my thanks go out to our hardworking board for the countless hours they put in over the year in and out of board meetings. MARL wouldn’t be able to do what it does without the support of its members, so I am happy to recognize them now. The Board is hopeful to increase membership over the next number of years, and I encourage all of our members to talk about MARL with friends and family that might support us or be interested in what we do. The United Way is the financial backbone of MARL, and I am happy to report that we have negotiated a three-year contract with the United Way that gives us some modest increases for the first time in a couple of years, which will help contribute to offset some of the increased operating costs we’re facing. MARL is forever grateful for the support we find in the United Way.

Dorota Praski continues to impress me and others in her role as the Human Rights and Holocaust Education Program Coordinator (although she could use a shorter job title I think). Dorota is not only a smiling face and invaluable asset with exceptional organizational skills, she is an ideal fit for what MARL does. I have received many compliments on the work Dorota does and I am happy that she’s part of our team. Finally, my thanks go to Valerie Price. As executive director, she keeps not only the board and organization humming, but keeps me in line (such as she’s able). She is the face and name that most people associate with MARL. She continues to win us praise, which praise is most often due solely to her work ethic and dedication. We are fortunate to have Valerie around, and we can be rightly proud of the work she does on our behalf. Dorota and Valerie don’t just “do their jobs”: they do them very well, and contribute so much more to the organization than we should expect. Please join me and the rest of the board in thanking them in person for their hard work.

Thank you again for your support over the last year, and I look forward to working with you for another year. As always, I am happy to speak with any of you about your thoughts or concerns through the MARL office.