Mayor commits to anti-racism summit

Winnipeg will be hosting an
anti-racism summit Sept. 17 and Sept. 18. The summit will “begin the process of
building an extensive network of leaders and thinkers dedicated to generating
‘ideas of inclusion’ that can ultimately be embraced by individuals and
organizations across the country,” read a news release from the city. Mayor
Brian Bowman pledged to host an anti-racism summit earlier this year, after
Maclean’s magazine published a cover story that called Winnipeg the most racist
city in Canada and highlighted divisions between the city’s Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
citizens. Joining the city in the event is the Canadian Museum for Human
Rights. The summit, entitled One: The Mayor’s National Summit on Racial
Inclusion, will include a panel discussion with author Joseph Boyden, U.S.
civil rights leader Rev. Gerald Durley, and Manitoba Treaty Commissioner James
Wilson, as well as workshops on recognizing racism and promoting healthy race
relations. Bowman said he wants to bring together people from across Canada and
across generations to work on ways to eliminate racism “by identifying
initiatives that are already working and by developing new and shareable ideas
that are going to encourage, inspire and motivate acceptance, mutual
understanding and inclusion from coast to coast to coast.”