Editorial

Like Nature in spring, MARL is turning a new leaf. The President's vision and persistence is paying off, finally. The enthusiasm and dedication of the enlarged and rejuvenated Board is evident in the reports of the Education Committee and the Charter Rights and Legislative Review Committee. These reports are a delight to read. They testify to the vigour and the intensity of the new life bubbling within MARL. Similarly, both President's and the Executive Director's reports provide a deeper insight into MARL's expanding horizons, her accomplishments and challenges.

MARL's increased outreach activities through the media (Press, Radio, TV, Website) are paralleled by its increased presence among Winnipeg's multiethnic communities, particularly those involved with human rights and civil liberties issues. This is one of the Executive Director's many portfolios. Through her, MARL has followed with keen interest one of the burning issues of the day in Winnipeg (and indeed throughout the country): the menace of street gangsterism. This question gained media headlines in the aftermath of the tragic deaths of 14-year old Sirak Okbazion and 17-year old Philippe Haiart, last August and October respectively. MARL is particularly attentive to allegations that since the latter incident, there has been an upsurge of racial animosity aimed at a particular ethnic group, who are being publicly accosted with the embarrassing and demeaning question: "Are you a member of the Mad Cowz gang?" (Winnipeg Free Press, Nov. 30, 2005)

Although most people recognise that street gangs are a symptom of a serious socio-economic malaise, allegations or assumptions implicit in the Free Press story referred to above demonstrate just how easily this matter could become a fertile ground for racial profiling and skin-colour discrimination. Hence in discussing this social phenomenon one needs to be extra sensitive to the rights and liberties of every citizen. As the search for a solution to the street gang problem continues, MARL will keep an eagle eye on the action or inaction of the key players: community groups, law enforcement agents, the media and all levels of Government.