Program Report 2007

Monitoring and Response

Charter Rights & Legislative Review - We reviewed 33 bills, developed a policy on freedom of expression and completed a study on the law and practice of religious instruction and religious exercises in Canadian public schools.

Referral - MARL provided referral and/or information in response to more than 80 inquiries from the public. We monitor the issues that arise in this work to determine which are issues that require more attention.

Media Watch - MARL continued to monitor human rights issues in the media and was asked to comment on some Manitoba legislation, religious exercises in public schools, youth curfews proposed in several municipalities and general interest in human rights issues.

Public Education

Youth Against Hate - Two interactive workshops in this series are offered to students in Grades 9 to 12 by a skilled facilitator who engages them in discussion of hate, what it is, how to recognize it and helps them to increase awareness of their own attitudes. Thirty-five workshops were presented to more than 1000 students.

Under 18 Handbook - Distribution of the newly revised handbook continued throughout the year. At present there are nearly 3000 handbooks in circulation.

Community Outreach and Initiatives

Coalitions - MARL is a member of the Coalition for Human Equality. MARL provides extensive administrative support to the Coalition for Human Equality (CHE) in order to further the work of combatting racism and fostering inter-group cooperation, with a particular focus on March 21^st activities. The Coalition coordinated the local tri-level March 21^st steering committee which plans March 21 events each year. MARL includes a page for the Coalition for Human Equality on its website, including a community calendar of activities relating to March 21^st.

This year MARL joined the Inner City Safety Coalition, a network of community-based agencies that are seeking to have more citizen input into the policy direction and accountability of police services in Winnipeg. The Coalition maintains that a civilian police commission/board is a mechanism that can provide a governance role for citizens in overseeing the operation of the police service.

Collaboration - We partnered with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Human Rights Commission in holding a luncheon to observe International Human Rights Day and honour the recipients of the Manitoba Human Rights Commitment Award and the Dr. Sybil Shack Memorial Human Rights Youth Award.

Outreach - MARL's outreach activities include supporting the work of other organizations through providing information or through direct participation, and consulting with others in the community as we develop our own work. MARL supported the work of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg through participation in its Committee for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination. We also participate in the United Against Racism Advisory Committee at Kani Kanichihk. We coordinated the participation of students in events commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day. We participated on the Multiculturalism Day Steering Committee.

Projects

Human Rights Studies Program - MARL developed a proposal for a new human rights education program to reach a broad range of high school students. The Winnipeg Foundation has approved funding for us to develop a program which will provide support to high school teachers in human rights education and develop youth leaders in high schools across Winnipeg. Developmental work on this new program has begun.

Responding to Hate Workshop - A companion workshop to the "Hate - What Have I Got to Do With It?" workshop has been completed. The workshop focuses on empowering students to be responsive bystanders when they encounter bullying and harassment, particularly when racially motivated. The workshop will be offered with its companion as the "Youth Against Hate" series. Youth Against Hate marketing materials have been developed and resource materials have been compiled to form a comprehensive Youth Against Hate Facilitator's Guide for both workshops.

Operations

Funders

United Way of Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Foundation

Canadian Heritage

Department of Justice Canada