WINNIPEG --
The City of Winnipeg is preparing to host its first-ever Anti-Racism Week at the end of March.
The event will run from March 21 to 27 and is designed to dismantle systemic racism within city governance and services.
As part of the week-long event, all city employees, including firefighters, paramedics and police, will be taking anti-racism and cultural competency training.
"Systemic racism is unfortunately not a new phenomenon but we are certainly taking a city-wide approach within the public service, but also within the community," said Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman.
According to Loretta Ross, who is the treaty commissioner for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, racism is particularly detrimental to Indigenous people.
"It's also a feeling of fear. It's a feeling of discomfort. This is home for First Nations people, this is their home. How do you feel if you were uncomfortable in your own home?" Ross said.
Arlen Dumas, the grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said this event is critical, especially with the recent treatment of an injured Indigenous woman by first responders.
"I would hope that in my time of need, if a first responder is coming to help me they're not going to decide whether to save my life or not based on my race," Dumas said.
Dumas also wants to see more civilian oversight when a possible racist incident happens.
"I think that the whole aspect of accountability needs to be flushed out and thought about and I think the more you can have people who can investigate issues and bring forward the truth, the better it is," he said.
The event won't just be designed for adults though, as Black History Manitoba said, there will be plenty of activities for younger Winnipeggers.
The organization, which was part of the planning process for Anti-Racism Week, said if you want to make Winnipeg free of racism in the future, the younger generation needs to be included.
