Waiting for Canada’s shot U.S. vaccine-maker talks timing Np1

best of the best What makes an elite runner? Np7

Monday, noveMber 30, 2020 Proudly sinCe 1883 part 1 of 3: in calgary Shining light on hate

photoS: Azin GhAffAri

F rom left, Cheryl Foggo, Adam North Peigan, Teresa Woo-Paw and Adora Nwofor have experienced discrimination and are calling for change. In a special series, Postmedia journalists Alanna Smith, Sammy Hudes and Azin Ghaffari spent months researching NP the deep roots of racism in Calgary, and the growing movement for equality. A8-9 Huge surge of COVID-19 Court rejects bid to delay pushing hospitals to limit energy World As Alberta ICU admissions near 100, cent Sunday. inquiry Iran promises Almost 45,000 tests were con- to avenge slain care for other patients is put at risk ducted between the two days. There are 15,692 active cases Jason Herring scientist Np4 across the province, about 36.7 per stepHanie BaBycH care winds down for people who cent of them in the Calgary zone. An Alberta justice has dismissed can “wait a little longer for it,” The Edmonton zone has the great- an injunction from an environ- Alberta reported its second-high- which is a serious cause for con- est share of active cases with 46.1 mental law firm that would have est number of new COVID-19 in- cern with the continuously rising per cent. paused the provincial govern- fections Sunday — behind only the number of ICU admissions, she Hinshaw posted on Twitter to ment’s controversial inquiry total of a day earlier — as the num- said. urge people to connect with loved into alleged foreign-funded cam- ber of Albertans in intensive-care It’s been five days since Premier ones virtually while social gather- paigns against Alberta’s energy units neared 100. Jason Kenney announced an as- ings are prohibited. industry. Ninety-five of the 435 people in sortment of mandatory public “The next few weeks will be hard Justice Karen Horner of Alber- hospital with COVID-19 now re- health measures, including a ban for all of us in light of the restric- ta’s Court of Queen’s Bench said SportS quire intensive care, an increase of on indoor social gatherings, a tions on social gatherings. I want in her ruling there is no evidence seven from Saturday. Alberta hos- 10-person limit on wedding and to thank all of you for doing the the inquiry contains unfounded pitals exceeded the benchmark of funeral services, and a closure of right thing and making these sac- or untested allegations against racing 70 full acute-care COVID-19 beds grades 7 to 12 in-person classes — rifices to help bend the curve,” she Ecojustice that would cause last week and are preparing anoth- which starts Monday. said Sunday. irreparable harm to the Canadian Formula One er 400 to cover the surge of ICU The effects of the new restric- “While we may be physically sep- non-profit. driver escapes admissions. tions are not yet felt as Alberta arated from each other, I strongly The ruling is a setback for Eco- Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Health reported an additional encourage you to reach out to your justice, which is also suing the fiery crash Np10 chief medical officer of health, said 1,608 cases of COVID-19 on Sun- friends and family and stay con- government, claiming the inquiry during Thursday’s news confer- day after 1,731 cases Saturday — the nected virtually.” itself is illegal. ence that passing that threshold highest case rates the province has Another 14 deaths were recorded The case was supposed to be means “we’d be crossing into ter- seen since the pandemic began. over the weekend — five Saturday heard in April but was postponed ritory where we’d be impacting The positivity rate Saturday was and nine Sunday — bringing the due to the COVID-19 pandemic. other patients’ care.” about eight per cent, and dropped provincial death toll to 533. No new date has been set. When hospitals are overrun, slightly to just under seven per see COVID-19 on A3 see ECOJUSTICE on A2

ALBERTARESIDENT’S Advent Calendar Offer

Save up to 30%

on accommodation* + Daily Special Gifts!

This year,make Christmas FORDETAILS, VISIT unforgettable at Fairmont Banff Springs. ChristmasAtTheCastle.ca/Alberta A8 Monday, noveMber 30, 2020 Calgary Herald city+region

BuRden to BeaR

R a cism in calgaRy

About this series

This special three-part series documents the ongoing struggle against racism that has persisted in the Calgary area for generations.

Monday: Calgary’s anti-racism movement Tuesday: Painful realities; police reconciliation Wednesday: Paths forward; leaving hatred behind

To watch videos related to this series, go to calgaryherald.com.

An unwillingness to learn Indigenous history is still per- vasive, says Adam North Peigan, president of the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta. Photos: Azin GhAffAri Calgarians harness

Summer demonstrations ignited a fire that anti-racism advocates say can’t burn out

AlAnnA Smith racism is often overt. You know and SAmmy hudeS what to expect, explains Shuana Porter, founder of the United Black Candle wax melts onto the brick People Allyship movement. steps at Olympic Plaza as flames “When we look at America, we dance during a sunny July day. are looking at the man who would The makeshift memorial hon- come to us with the gun in our ours the many lives lost to police face,” she says. brutality worldwide. Cardboard “The City of Calgary and the signs left by some of the thousands Government of Canada is like the of protesters, who just minutes sniper on the roof. We don’t even earlier packed the park from cor- know what to look for. Are they ner to corner, lay next to the burn- less dangerous because you can’t ing candles. They read “Black Lives see them?” Matter,” “Power to the People” and Those who identify as Black, “Make Injustice Visible.” Indigenous and people of colour A red rose drapes over a hand- “aren’t looking for revenge,” Nwo- drawn image of George Floyd, for says. whose death catalyzed protests They’re looking for fairness. across the globe. “People are pushing back and He died in May after a white po- saying that ‘all lives matter,’” she lice officer in Minnesota kneeled says. on his neck for almost nine min- “We have to remind people that utes. . If there’s a But the injustices these Calgar- burning house, you don’t put wa- ians were protesting are far closer ter on the whole block. You have to to home. put water on the burning house.” In the middle of a pandem- The roots of racism run deep in It is not certain if Daniels was discourse — a “gap in stories and in ic, droves of mask-clad people this city. ever awarded damages, but it history books” imparted on young thundered through the streets in Calgary has served as a breed- Black people marked one of the earliest civil minds, she says. numbers rarely seen in Calgary, ing ground for white supremacist rights cases in Western Canada “I grew up in an immigrant com- screaming, crying and chanting groups. It’s been at the centre of in Calgary and and a landmark moment for mem- munity, and most of my classmates in peaceful but powerful protests. civil rights abuses. And many of its bers of Calgary’s Black population were first-generation Canadians,” Some were speaking out against residents, then and now, know the southern Alberta in their struggle against racism. says Foggo. “I was aware that my injustice for the first time. Others cruel consequences for the mere “Black people in Calgary and family had already been here, at had always been. colour of their . have done southern Alberta have done in- that time, three, four generations. Indifference is no longer an It was around 3:30 a.m. one credible things in the face of in- I was almost always the only Black option, they heard. They need to May morning when three people incredible things credible obstacles,” says Calgary child in any classroom. My history drown out a sound that has long scrawled “China virus” in black in the face of writer and historian Cheryl Foggo. was one that simply never came up, roared in this city. spray paint on the front wall of the “He stood up to the most pow- was never addressed in any way. Racism is a problem that’s long Chinese consulate in downtown incredible erful white men in this province We were not considered among existed in key institutions — in Calgary. at that time.” stories that were shared about our government, policing and our The incident left members of the obstacles. Nearly half a century later, Ted history.” schools — and in everyday inter- community shaken. For months, King, the president of the Alberta In 1940, white soldiers accused actions. they’ve faced targeted backlash Cheryl foGGo, above, Association for the Advancement a Black of assaulting The fire ignited that warm sum- related to the ongoing COVID-19 author and historian of Colored People, also took up the one of their own after he spoke to mer day can’t burn out as it has so pandemic. fight against segregation. a woman a soldier was interested many times before, say anti-racism “We know that racism has always In 1959, King tried to book a in. A mob of about 300 soldiers advocates, educators and people been part of Canada and also an- Coats galloped in from Gleichen,” room at Barclay’s Motel in Calgary, marched to his home where they with lived experience reflecting on ti-Chinese, anti-Asian sentiments read the newspaper’s account of located on Macleod Trail, only to smashed his windows, destroyed the summer demonstrations. and racism has always been there,” the violence. be refused. He claimed the motel the interior and chanted racial Months later, there’s still no says Teresa Woo-Paw, a former News archives contain some of owner told him he didn’t serve “co- slurs, according to newspaper re- clear path forward. But the same MLA and chair of Asian Canadians the few historic records of momen- loured people” and there were no ports from that time. energy that pulsed throughout Together to End Racism. tous civil rights battles in southern vacancies, despite King’s recollec- He was hustled out by police but Calgary’s streets must continue “But I think the undercurrent is Alberta. tion of a vacancy sign on display. remained ready to defend himself, beating behind closed doors, they now at the surface. Some people One such case is the story of Cal- In a human rights complaint grasping a butcher knife should say. need to find blame, to lay blame garian Charles Daniels, a railroad against the motel owner, King said they make it to his location. Racism in these parts has long and then find scapegoats.” inspector. he suffered “humiliation, indignity Calgary has been considered been “covert and insipid,” says an- Those same sentiments have When Daniels was denied a seat and insult.” a safe haven for white men em- ti-racism activist Adora Nwofor. persisted for more than a centu- at a local theatre and told to sit The motel owner said his ac- boldened to perpetrate violence Prejudices are harboured deep ry — since before Calgary was in- in the “coloured” section in 1912, tions had nothing to do with race. against communities of colour, ac- inside, strengthened by genera- corporated as a city in 1894. Two he launched a lawsuit against the Instead, he argued King was not a cording to Jason Devine, who leads tions of trauma, neglect and es- years earlier, a race riot broke out Sherman Grand Theatre, manag- traveller and Barclay’s Motel was Anti-Racism Action in Calgary. tablished norms. But today, she after white residents blamed the er William Sherman and Senator not a “common inn.” The mid-2000s into the 2010s says, that won’t necessarily result Chinese community for a smallpox James Lougheed. King’s case was dismissed by marked the height of influence by in “the N-word to your face” from a outbreak. A mob of men looted and Daniels was steadfast in his fight the Alberta Supreme Court over neo-Nazis operating in Calgary, stranger during a casual encounter. destroyed Chinese businesses and for justice. a loophole in the Innkeepers Act. says Devine, an activist who has “They will walk around and talk assaulted Chinese residents. Opponents initially didn’t take Despite the loss, his legal battle exposed and confronted neo-Nazi to you saying, ‘I have to cross the Local police refused to act. It his case seriously, before later re- made an impact, considering the organizations and their members street because there’s something “might have developed into a mas- sorting to attempts to discredit Alberta legislature closed the loop- since 1999. over there that I need,’” Nwofor sacre” had Mounties not shown up, Daniels’ version of events. hole in 1961. At the climax of clashes be- says. reported the Calgary Daily Herald. Legal documents demonstrated These stories are often untold, tween anti-racism advocates and “And once you’re gone, they “An incensed crowd of between a defence riddled with racism. says Foggo. white supremacists, cross back. It is very purposeful.” two and three thousand white peo- “If a man goes to the theatre with Black history in the region dates who donned patches There are important distinctions ple had surrounded the Oriental his wife and next to his wife he saw as far back as the very concept of on leather jackets and balaclavas between the brand of intolerance section of the town with the inten- a coloured man, his wife would not Alberta. But too often, the tri- marched through Calgary’s streets provoking anger south of the bor- tion of forcibly evicting the Chi- want to sit there,” the defendants umphs and struggles of the com- chanting anti-immigrant, anti-Se- der and the local variety. In the U.S., nese element when a force of Red stated. munity are left out of mainstream mitic and Islamophobic messages. city+region Monday, noveMber 30, 2020 Calgary Herald A9

We know that racism has always been part of Canada and also anti-Chinese, anti-Asian sentiments and racism has always been there. But I think the undercurrent is now at the surface. Some people need to find blame, to lay blame and then find scapegoats.

Teresa Woo-PaW, left, chair of asian Canadians Together to end racism power of protests

hand-picked advisers includes “She was like, ‘I’m really sorry for waiting until the fourth grade to this.’ She was a racialized nurse and start discussions on “traumatic she understood exactly what we material” related to residential were going through,” Chagnon says. schools. Drafts of the recommen- The incident was no fluke. In dations referred to equity as a health-care settings, racialized “politically partisan and charged communities are often perceived buzzword.” to be “deficient,” says Bouvier. North Peigan called on Premier Sometimes it’s a woman of co- Jason Kenney to fire Champion in lour receiving extra advice during a August. Champion remained part pregnancy checkup on how to par- of the panel until it was disbanded ent. It could be Indigenous people in mid-November. having to wait longer than others “A lot of our non-Native broth- to see a doctor or nurse, lest they ers and sisters, they don’t want to be refused services entirely. learn, they don’t want to under- Members of the homeless popu- stand,” North Peigan says. lation, of which a disproportionate “Education is an important segment are Indigenous, face even tool. Mainstream Albertans and further dehumanization. governments, they need to have “There’s all of these assump- an open mind, and they need to tions,” says Bouvier. have a willingness to sit down and “This happens every day. So how learn about the true history of our can we — in hospitals, in health- people in Canada.” care facilities — ensure that those The Alberta government says racist ideas are not dictating how feedback from its curriculum patients receive care?” advisers “are merely recommen- Alberta Health Services says in dations.” No final decisions have a statement the agency is aware of been made, but it plans to include “unacceptable acts and language” an “anti-racism” focus. in the past. The health authority “The new curriculum will teach says it reviews every concern and In 2009, 60 members of the care systems. It’s the underpinning our students a full history of Can- takes steps to make amends in sit- neo-Nazi Aryan Guard group of residential schools and the ’60s ada, including Francophone, First uations that warrant an apology. squared off with counter-protest- Scoop. We’ll never Nations, Métis and Inuit history,” AHS says employees must un- ers in a violent demonstration. But it also comes in the form says Colin Aitchison, a spokesper- dergo Indigenous awareness train- That was the second year in a row, of microaggressions — indirect, know how son for LaGrange. ing as part of their diversity and on March 22, in which anti-racism subtle or unintentional discrim- “Residential schools will also be inclusion instruction. protesters outnumbered far-right ination toward people of colour. many people covered within the curriculum — The agency has also created a groups, who recognized the date as Police dashboard camera foot- the minister has already made it Black, Indigenous and people of a white pride day worldwide. age from earlier this year showed had their blood clear that this is non-negotiable.” colour anti-racism advocacy group It also marks the international an RCMP officer tackling, punch- Aitchison added the social stud- to “develop anti-racism activities” day for the celebration of the elim- ing and choke-holding Athabasca run in the streets ies curriculum already has a strong and an ethnic minority workforce ination of racial discrimination. Chipewyan First Nation Chief Al- because of (white focus on issues related to the “his- resource group to tackle issues Alberta was home to groups lan Adam during an arrest, after tories, cultures, and contributions that arise in the workplace. like , the police noticed an expired licence supremacist) of Indigenous peoples and people “However, it is clear more must Western European Bloodline, plate on Adam’s vehicle. of African and Caribbean descent be done,” said AHS in a statement. and the Aryan Helicopter video resurfaced this groups. to both Alberta and Canada.” “AHS has and will continue to take Guard, which later became Blood year of the violent arrest of God- Unconscious biases still extend a strong stance against any act of and Honour and has since been fred Addai-Nyamekye by Calgary Jason Devine, above, far beyond the classroom, howev- racism, discrimination or intoler- deemed a terrorist organization police in 2013. Officers charged anti-racism action er. Chantal Chagnon remembers ance.” in Canada. Addai-Nyamekye with public in- feeling dehumanized in a hospital For those who have never had Members remain today. toxication and dropped him off far waiting room. to ponder the possibility of facing “We’ll never know how many from home in the dead of winter. “Curriculum is designed to tell A car accident several years ago discrimination based on the colour people had their blood run in the He called police for help; instead, the story of colonizers and set- left her with a hip injury. Her re- of their skin, it’s no surprise to streets because of those groups,” one officer repeatedly punched tlers,” she says. “That’s racism.” covery required multiple surgeries. Bouvier these blind spots remain. says Devine, adding many — espe- him in the head and kneed him in Hidden discrimination, such as Chagnon, a Cree Ojibwe Métis It’s not that the majority of cially those from racialized back- the back. Const. Trevor Lindsay, omissions in what is taught, can be activist, needed a prescription re- southern Albertans are racist or grounds — don’t report violent the officer connected to the case, “so insidious that you receive it and filled to numb the “excruciating perform blatantly racist actions, incidents for fear of retribution. retired earlier this year, meaning don’t realize that it is racist.” She pain.” The normally routine er- like those spread across social me- He says confronting organiza- he won’t face a disciplinary hear- says we need to pull apart policies rand, however, was disrupted by dia or documented in newspaper tions like Blood and Honour was ing for those actions. and procedures to understand how an encounter with a stranger, who articles long ago. at times “absolutely terrifying.” Since the start of this school year, racism is embedded in schools. But recognized her for her community Far from it, actually. Devine recalls his home being multiple recordings have been a lack of understanding — or per- work. But being actively anti-racist firebombed, facing death threats posted in which Calgary teachers haps, more befitting, the willing- “You’re that Indigenous girl who takes something much bigger, she and surviving a murder attempt used the N-word in recent years. ness to understand — still pervades marches for murdered and missing says, than simply lacking hateful in which suspected members of a A spokesperson for Education the education system, says Adam women,” they said. views or attending a rally at Olym- neo-Nazi organization broke into Minister Adriana LaGrange con- North Peigan, president of the Six- Chagnon, who is white-passing, pic Plaza — it takes a commitment his home and beat him with ham- demned those incidents, saying ties Scoop Indigenous Society of says health-care staff overheard to do something about it. mers and bats. “this is unacceptable. Period.” Alberta. the encounter. They instantly “In order for it to change, peo- “I thought, ‘This is it,’” says According to Vicki Bouvier, an Take Alberta’s curriculum review changed their demeanour. ple have to give something up,” says Devine.“I don’t regret it at all. Be- associate professor at Mount Roy- and comments by Chris Champi- “They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re Indige- Bouvier. “People may not see them- cause if they didn’t beat us, who al University who specializes in on, one of the advisers tasked with nous. I don’t think we can give you selves as racist, but they also don’t else would they beat? Somebody Indigenous studies, the education examining social studies lessons this prescription. We’re pretty sure see that they benefit from racism. was going to face this violence system remains a key area where for students in this province. it’s a dependency issue,’” she re- If all the policies and procedures sooner or later. So, you just come decision-makers can begin rooting An article published last year un- calls. “I’m like, ‘Excuse me?’” benefit you, have you ever acknowl- to accept it.” out the ills of society. der Champion’s byline referred to With tears in her eyes, Chagnon edged who they don’t benefit? Racism is at times obvious. Other It starts with acknowledging the inclusion of Indigenous per- sat in the waiting room for hours “That is a hard thing to admit.” times it isn’t. It comes in the form racism is entrenched in Canada’s spectives as a “fad.” He wrote that until a nursing staff shift change. [email protected] of hate crimes; of police brutali- colonial history, which bled into an exercise designed to teach stu- When a different nurse entered @alanna_smithh ty; and of overrepresentation of existing systems that distribute dents about the impact of Europe- the room she received her usual [email protected] Black and Indigenous people in power, opportunity and resourc- an settlers “brainwashes children.” medication. That’s what it took to @SammyHudes the criminal, justice and foster es to the benefit of white people. The advice of the government’s be treated with dignity. With editing by Ricky Leong. Canada’s historiC defiCit Expected to reach $381 billion np1-3

shewfelt’s triumph Olympian reminisces np14

Tuesday, december 1, 2020 Proudly calgary since 1883 Policing the Police NEWS

Premier Kenney’s ‘wake-up-call’ to city’s northeast condemned A3

You

column Vegan ‘burgers’ leave writer puzzled A14

Azin GhAffAri

In 1989, Kingsley Massiah, left, was arrested when he approached police asking for help. Decades later, his son Adam Massiah is an activist against police brutality. A8-10 NP Case rates likely to rise moderna WorlD Iran buries boss won’t slain nuclear before restrictions help push past scientist np4 “reduce the demand on the bulk COVID-19 patients in ICU triple oxygen system” while they pre- Canada average number of influenza cases pare for an expected increase in demand. “Clinical measures require ev- Stephanie BaBych strictions that were announced eryone to engage in oxygen con- last week,” said Hinshaw during servation measures immediately,” Hospitalizations and case rates are Monday’s press conference. reads the memo. likely to increase for the next few In an average influenza season, Physicians are asked in the FP days as the province waits to see at its peak, Alberta has about 30 memo to assess their patients for the effects of new restrictions, Al- patients in ICU with influenza. oxygen requirements, target the don Braid berta’s top doctor explained Mon- Currently, there are more than lowest tolerable SpO2 level and businesses day while announcing another triple that number of COVID-19 avoid using oxygen in a list of cer- Has good news flopped over and 1,733 cases of COVID-19. patients requiring intensive care. tain situations if possible. died? You could think so, with Feds boosting With 96 of the 453 hospital “And if we have continued The sites pinned as being the the flood of bad COVID-19 news COVID patients in intensive-care spread, we are nowhere near that most affected by infrastructure in Alberta and all the political an- size of loan units, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Al- COVID-19 peak, unless we can limitations on the bulk oxygen imosity at home and in Ottawa. program np7 berta’s chief medical officer of collectively bring our numbers systems are Rockyview General But consider this. It was only on health, continues to worry about down,” Hinshaw said while pro- Hospital, Foothills Medical Centre Nov. 9 that Pfizer announced it has how much worse the strain on the viding her usual encouragement and Peter Lougheed Centre. an effective vaccine. health-care system will be before for people to follow public health Alberta Health Services’ Dr. Da- That has since been followed by it gets better. measures closely. vid Zygun, a medical director for two others, including Moderna, “I suspect that we will continue Specifically of concern on the Edmonton zone, said there is whose co-founder and chairman to see cases and hospitalizations Monday was a memo that was no doubt the hospital system is is a Canadian guy named Noubar rise over the next several days, as sent to health-care workers in the under significant strain. Afeyan. we wait for the impact of the re- Calgary zone that asked them to see COVid on A2 see braid on A4 SELLING YOUR JEWELLERY?

•All gold, silver,platinum, diamond jewellery, fine watches. Unusual items of interest •INSTANT DECISIONS, INSTANT PAYMENT Atrium •Heritage Square, 8500 Macleod Trail S •CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT. 403-252-8850 •Confidentiality,expertise and honesty are at the heart Tues. -Fri. 9am-5pm, Sat. 10 am -4pm, of these decisions. Sun. &Mon. Closed •Check our website for outstanding values www.fleetwoodjewellery.ca A8 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 CALGARY HERALD CITY+REGION

BURDEN TO BEAR

R a CISM IN CALGARY

ABOUT THIS SERIES

This special three-part series documents the ongoing struggle against racism that has persisted in the Calgary area for generations.

Monday: Calgary’s anti-racism movement Tuesday: Painful realities; police reconciliation Wednesday: Paths forward; leaving hatred behind

To watch videos related to this series, go to calgaryherald.com.

Kingsley Massiah was arrested by Calgary police when he asked them for help. PHOTOS: AZIN GHAFFARI

Kingsley Massiah scribbled down the feelings he couldn’t seem to shake as he thought back to the night of his arrest. “I have never been and did not deserve to be in that position,” he A LEGACY OF RACISM wrote on the back page of a docu- ment filled with witness testimo- ny. “I think I was wronged.” It was early in the morning be- For racialized people living in Calgary, the sight of a police officer fore the sun had risen on Aug. 20, 1989. can invoke a sense of fear, Sammy Hudes and Alanna Smith write. Massiah and his brother were leaving the bar after a casual Satur- day night out, making their way to have to validate the lived experi- the exit of a nearby parkade, only ences and the realities of people to be blocked by another vehicle who aren’t having those same ex- whose driver refused to move. periences.” He saw police nearby and ap- Calgary police list seven core proached the officers. Minutes values intrinsic to its organization: later, Massiah was handcuffed and respect, honesty, compassion, shoved in the back of a police car, courage, fairness, accountability taken away to spend the rest of the and integrity. night in the “drunk tank.” They’re traits each aspiring All he did was ask for help. officer must demonstrate when Three decades later, his son applying to join the force — pre- Adam Massiah leads a protest in requisites to serve the citizens of Calgary’s core against police bru- Calgary, Canada’s third-most-di- tality. His voice blares through the verse city. megaphone as he calls for solidari- But this reputation of cultural ty to stamp out police misconduct openness lies in stark contrast that has persisted for generations with the perception of police so — along with the powers that al- many in this city hold. low it to happen without reper- For many who identify as Black, cussions. Indigenous or people of colour Global protests had been taking (BIPOC), the mere sight of an offi- place since the death of George cer doesn’t evoke feelings of safety Floyd in the U.S., who died in May and protection. after a white police officer put his Often, those feelings are instead knee on his neck for almost nine replaced with a sense of fear. minutes. Floyd’s final cries were It’s anxiety that, out of suspicion, heard in Minnesota — “I didn’t do they could be stopped and ques- anything.” He called out for his Adam Massiah says racism is part tioned without any evidence. It’s mom, repeating the words, “I can’t of everyday life for Black people panic induced from lived experi- breathe” over and over. in Calgary. He has been stopped, ences — and those of their family There’s a thread woven between searched and yelled at by police. and friends — that the wrong word generations of the Massiah fam- or move could lead to violent con- ily, with experiences of racism “All this stuff is just part of that sequences. It’s a realization they stitched into the fabric of their system to ensure that you stay in could lose their lives, as have lives. Kingsley and Adam have your place. It’s just demoralizing,” Floyd, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, fought back, each in their own Kingsley says. Abdirahman Abdi, Olando Brown, way — by centring Black lives in “The whole system, the police, Regis Korchinski-Paquet and oth- anti-racism advocacy or testifying are just at the tip of the spear. er victims of police brutality. on the wrongful actions of police. People like myself have an issue Here in Calgary, police have been At his childhood home in north- with the police and it’s because it forced to reckon with a backlash west Calgary, Adam listens from is an enforcement mechanism to toward high levels of officer gunfire a nearby couch as his dad, seated ensure that those of us who have — whatever the motivation — in in a wheelchair at the kitchen ta- been deemed to be at the bottom recent years. ble, recounts the stories of racism of the whole system stay at that In 2016, Calgary police shot 10 he has faced. There’s no noise. bottom.” people, killing half of them. It No loudspeaker. The only voice Adam, 26, says he has faced it, was the highest number of police is Kingsley’s as he remembers an too. He’s been pulled over, pro- shootings of any city in the country officer yelling at him to “shut up” filed by police. He’s been forced that year. more than 30 years ago. to listen as officers hurled racist The service called it a “signifi- Protests in Calgary drew atten- slurs. He’s been singled out by po- Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld seeks a balance between those who see cant elevation” in police shooting tion to a range of issues, such as lice for an aggressive search as he the force as a community resource and those who see police as a danger. trends, prompting an independent racism in education, health care passed through a security check at use-of-force review, completed in and the media. But racism in po- a . “And then I turned that into an- DaBreo, Centre for Newcomers April 2018. licing was at the heart of the move- Racism is “normal” to him. ger,” he says. vice-president Francis Boakye, Its 65 recommendations in- ment, as demonstrators called into “For me, and other people who “If you still don’t believe that former MLA Teresa Woo-Paw, ac- cluded establishing a better un- question police misconduct, over- look like me who live in the city, racism exists in Calgary, then ademic Vicki Bouvier and former derstanding of mental health sight and accountability. it’s been a reality for us every sin- you’re just not listening. You just national chief of the Assembly of concerns, improved oversight “My interactions with the police gle day of our lives,” he says. “You choose to be wilfully ignorant. And First Nations Phil Fontaine, also and an emphasis on de-escalation over the years were, for the most either let it break you down and that’s a problem.” outlined how systemic racism has training. part, negative,” says Kingsley, 64. destroy you, or you become numb Summer protests in the city been perpetuated for centuries. Calgary again led the country “You’re getting stopped and ha- to it and you make it through it.” thrust the Calgary Police Service Calgarians marched in the with nine police shootings in 2018, rassed all the time, for no other Adam serves as CEO of the Unit- under the microscope. streets, from Kensington to 17th six of which were fatal. Police shot reason than, quite frankly, driving ed Black People’s Allyship organi- The organization’s principles Avenue, through Chinatown and four people in 2019, killing one. while Black, walking while Black or zation, working toward the better- and practices were called into Olympic Plaza. Against this backdrop of surging just being Black.” ment of the lives of Black people question as Calgarians laid bare Some focused their attention use of force, a statistical analysis The report drafted by police in Alberta. the traumas they’ve faced at the online, sharing the truths they’ve shows alleged police misconduct is following his arrest is filled with Floyd’s death was a turning hands of officers. known all their lives, as conversa- unlikely to lead to criminal charges “just pure lies” to support their point, he says, coming in the midst Some aired those stories during tion ignited across social media. against the officers involved. From position, he says. of “a perfect storm” — a pandemic anti-racism hearings at city hall Calgary police Chief Mark 2015 to 2019, Alberta’s police As he wrote in his notes back that put many aspects of normal in July, co-chaired by Malinda Neufeld recognizes there is work watchdog opened an average of then, Kingsley wanted the chance life on pause, affording people time Smith, the University of Calgary’s to do but says there’s a balance to about 19 investigations per year “to tell my side of the story.” He and energy to direct their atten- first incoming vice-provost of eq- be struck between some who view into conduct by Calgary police of- spent the next year going through tion toward mounting incidents of uity, diversity and inclusion. Im- the service as a community sup- ficers, including 30 in 2016. a citizen review process, arguing police brutality around the globe. passioned Calgarians took to the port resource and those who see The Alberta Serious Incident Re- the officers acted with malice. Many were “fed up,” including microphone at those hearings, it as potentially harmful. sponse Team — an independent, But his complaints of racism people in Calgary. reopening wounds of the past and “We have historically (had), and civilian-led agency staffed by sec- were dismissed. After watching the disturbing present so their realities would be continue to have, good relation- onded police officers — charged He never received the justice he footage of Floyd’s last moments, heard. ships with the community,” says five Calgary Police Service mem- knew he deserved. Adam says he cried for days. A panel formed by lawyer Nyall Neufeld. “But, at the same time, we bers during that five-year period. city+region Tuesday, december 1, 2020 calgary Herald A9

ASIRT INVESTIGATIONS ASIRT has conducted 105 investigations into Calgary police incidents since 2015, compared to 94 in Edmonton. Investi- gations are opened when police actions result in serious injury or death, or when there are allegations of police misconduct.

30

Calgary Edmonton

25

20

15

10

5

0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 (to Sept. 30)

Spirit River Striped Wolf is apprehensive of police following an unnerving encounter in a fast-food restaurant. SOURCE: ASIRT DARREN FRANCEY / POSTMEDIA

teractions with police, says Rob- launching a police and communi- inson, leaving them further at risk ty engagement program in which and lacking protection that others officers and civilian employees take for granted. can volunteer with the diversity “We face it when it comes to our resource team. and brutality homeless population and our sex In 2018, Idris was one of four Ca- worker population,” she says. nadians selected by the U.S. State “Women who are on the other Department to be part of a visitor end of domestic violence don’t feel leadership program. comfortable calling the police be- They spent three weeks meeting cause when they do, they will shoot with police forces across the U.S. and kill us,” she adds, underscoring about community policing ini- feelings of fear and mistrust in the tiatives and integration of “more system. empathy and kindness within po- Robinson says “oblivious, unseen licing.” racism” continues to permeate law Idris describes the state of affairs enforcement, as BIPOC members in most of those law-enforcement of the community are “over-po- agencies as “cautionary tales” of liced and over-surveilled.” what the Calgary Police Service Calgary police do not collect could become without meaning- ethnicity-based data. However, ful efforts to build understanding. they have committed to doing so Approaches in cities like Baltimore as part of their anti-racism efforts and Chicago “were really kind of following criticism faced this past horrifying,” he says. summer. “The big problem is the ‘us ver- Calgarians have varying opin- sus them’ mindset from the police ions on how to confront systemic and from the citizenry that they’re racism in the police force. here to serve,” says Idris. “The idea Some point to reform. Many that we’re not on the same team is want to see a reallocation of po- troubling. lice resources to community ini- “The police are looking at their tiatives. And others say an entire citizenry as the enemies and (ra- overhaul of the existing system, cialized communities) are looking too far gone to make meaningful at the police as the enemies.” change, is needed. Calgary’s not there yet, he pauses An expansive shift to a commu- to clarify. nity policing model would help re- But Idris adds the city isn’t de- build relationships between local voting enough funding to com- Adam Idris says the city isn’t law enforcement and those they munity policing initiatives and devoting enough funding to com- serve, says activist Adam Idris. training. Instead, it’s an “enforce- munity policing. Indigenous activist He says this approach would ment-heavy, investigative-heavy, Michelle Robinson, right, says there require Calgary police to identify prosecution-heavy” approach that is a lack of faith in law enforcement. the most marginalized communi- doesn’t reduce crime. ties who are disproportionately Experts in police methodology It has launched nine investiga- affected by policing tactics within agree it’s an unsustainable model, tions into Calgary police conduct the city. They would then assign he says. in 2020, charging one officer as of officers to be embedded in those “We’re going to end up having to Sept. 30. neighbourhoods. teach our children that police are The police service says the vast Officers would “actually be- to be feared. And when that hap- majority of recommendations come part of that community in pens, there’s not going to be any from the 2018 use-of-force review a meaningful way,” explains Idris. security or any peace within those are in place or in progress. Arresting people would not be communities that feel like they’re Adam says this isn’t good their priority. under siege by police,” says Idris. enough. He knows too many others Instead, they would establish “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. who have interacted with officers connections and gain new under- Those fatal encounters will create who have “overstepped boundar- standings of those communities, more distrust and then the circle ies, used excessive force, and acted their cultures and their struggles. goes on and on and on.” in a racist manner.” “Every minority community in In June, Neufeld acknowledged His dad agrees there’s no time Calgary is dealing with different systemic racism in the force after to wait. things,” says Idris, a community saying just days earlier he was “not As he thought back on a life- policing expert. so sure” about it. time of racist encounters with Communities, for example, He is more firm in recognizing police, Kingsley recalled the time could be dealing with a signifi- its existence four months later, as his mother called the police after cant uptick in drug abuse, an ep- he sits down in October for a con- he was beaten up while walking idemic of violence or high rates of versation at police headquarters home from school in Grade 8. But post-traumatic stress after leaving about the organization’s ongoing the officers were more concerned their countries of origin. efforts to address systemic racism. with “weapons” Kingsley had — a enforcement and nobody does at Each one of those issues could The service has committed to an couple of stray bottles he spotted this point.” potentially lead to criminality, independent review of the school and grabbed, used to defend him- Those interactions can perma- When Indigenous says Idris. But addressing strug- resource officer program, which self — than the Grade 9 boy who nently alter the way people ap- gles proactively through commu- puts officers in Calgary Board of “knocked him out.” proach even the most mundane people, racialized nity policing removes the need for Education and Calgary Catholic Later in life, he remembers be- actions they take in their lives. enforcement later on. School District schools, Neufeld ing ticketed by an officer after his For Spirit River Striped Wolf, it’s people, call the It’s a model proven to work. says. new car was hit. Kingsley had just the apprehension he now carries Currently, there are six officers An internal service-wide census moved. He hadn’t updated the ad- when using public facilities. police, it’s a very on the Calgary Police Service di- is planned in early 2021 to respond dress listed on his identification. Striped Wolf remembers be- versity resource team, out of about to grievances outlined by Calgari- “Who do you go to to report ing in a washroom at a fast-food different outcome 2,200 sworn members, tasked to ans this year. these sorts of things?” Adam asks. restaurant when police burst in- and that’s engage with the city’s diverse com- Neufeld says the scrutiny “Do you go to the police to police side, banging on the door of his munities and investigate hate-mo- brought forward by this summer’s the police? That ends up absolute- stall and demanding he come out unacceptable. tivated incidents. The force has demonstrations was “difficult” for ly nowhere.” to explain what he was doing. The one Indigenous liaison officer many officers. Indigenous activist Michelle officers claimed they’d been asked We need to have and is filling a role in December Some responded defensively. Robinson says conversations crit- by staff to check on him, believing to oversee their “strategy for rec- In a column penned for the fall ical of policing are “really uncom- he was using their restroom to do faith in our law onciliation.” edition of the Calgary Police As- fortable” for a lot of people because drugs. Neufeld says there is potential to sociation’s magazine, Const. Geoff when they call the police, they are “That was a pretty awkward, enforcement and expand those roles. Hoover called Black Lives Matter safe to do so. horrible, embarrassing experience “Maybe we haven’t kept up with a “police hate group” and added “But when Indigenous people, that I went through,” he says. “I nobody does at (diverse communities) the way “systemic racism does not exist” racialized people, call the police, just don’t think a lot of folks real- that we needed to,” says Neufeld. in Calgary’s police force. it’s a very different outcome and ize how common that is.” this point. “I think we need to look at what is The police chief sympathized that’s unacceptable,” says Robin- Vulnerable members of racial- Michelle Robinson, the demographic now and where with Hoover but says he doesn’t son. ized communities are even more indigenous activist the greatest need is.” share his opinion. “We need to have faith in our law susceptible to dehumanizing in- Local police are in the process of See Racism on A10 A10 Tuesday, december 1, 2020 calgary Herald city+region

SHOOTINGS BY CALGARY POLICE Change is long overdue, Over the past five years, 12 people have died in police shootings. There have been no shootings in 2020. anti-racism advocates say Fatality Injury 10 racism From A9 following the trial of a constable million from city reserves, stop- charged with on-duty assault. ping short of slashing funds des- 8 “I don’t think we’ve ever seen a Security footage showed Const. ignated for police. situation where people are pro- Alexander Dunn slamming a hand- The decision followed weeks of testing us,” says Neufeld. “The re- cuffed Black woman face-first into renewed tensions with the prov- ality of it is, there may be a small a concrete floor during a 2017 ar- ince, as Justice Minister Kaycee 6 number of people who we may not rest. Her nose was broken and lip Madu said the idea of “reallocat- be able to change. But at the end of cut open. Dunn was relieved from ing” police funds had been pushed the day, what’s in your head is not duty with pay “pending further by “radical activists.” He called it 4 as important as what you say and review” after being charged. He a “buzzword” that means defund- what you do and how you serve the was reinstated to administrative ing. Madu also called realloca- community.” duties a year later. A judge will rule tion “nonsensical,” going so far in But anti-racism advocates say on Dunn’s case in December. September to threaten provincial 2 progress is long overdue. Last week, city council consid- funding to municipalities that re- Eighteen years ago, Calgarian ered reducing the police budget duce police budgets. Adora Nwofor was pulled over by to address gaps in crisis and out- But last year, council was forced 0 police on a bridge near Deerfoot reach services. The official budget to compensate for UCP budget 2016 2017 2018 2019 Trail. She was driving her partner submission by Calgary police sug- changes that left a $13-million to work around 4 a.m., as her three- gested shifting $8 million to those hole in the Calgary police budget, year-old son slept in the back, a initiatives in 2021. during Madu’s time as Alberta’s SOURCE: CALGARY POLICE SERVICE DARREN FRANCEY / POSTMEDIA blanket draped over his car seat. Instead, council opted to pull $8 municipal affairs minister. Nwofor recalls the police shut- Now, Madu says he’s in favour social services. raised for this. I’ve been living this ting down the bridge, as police of police reform — not defunding. CPA president John Orr says any my entire life,” he says. cars surrounded her vehicle. They Neufeld has voiced support for potential cuts would “force us to “It’s going to be a challenge. It’s questioned what was in the back reallocating some resources to take steps backwards” and further going to be a battle. It’s about stay- seat, then told her she matched the social services, but characterizes stretch resources. ing focused, remaining strategic description of a known drug dealer. They just made the “defund the police” movement The union, as is highlighted in and remaining tactical. It’s about “They just made up some excuse as people who looking to “punish, its mandate, often backs officers never letting your emotions over- because I was driving an old car at up some excuse disarm, or abolish” the police. facing serious misconduct alle- take your logic.” four o’clock in the morning and A review of the Alberta Police Act gations. One officer, Sgt. Les Ka- He clutches the documents his I’m Black,” alleges Nwofor. “So, I because I was is ongoing and will address issues minski, even continued serving as dad has saved for more than 30 got out of the car as he’s holding driving an old related to officer misconduct. president of the association while years. For Adam, it’s a reminder the gun. And I opened the door In November, Madu announced facing charges of perjury and as- from decades past that so much and pulled down the blanket — of car at four an immediate province-wide ban sault with a weapon in 2017, in work lies ahead. course, it’s my child.” on carding, the act of police stop- connection with the arrest of Hells His tireless efforts draw from Formal complaints to police o’clock in the ping someone to be questioned Angels member Jason Arkinstall the experiences of his family — don’t amount to anything, says without evidence they’re connect- nine years earlier. Both charges his grandfather, father, mother Nwofor. morning and I’m ed to a particular offence. Neufeld were eventually dropped. and siblings. Calgarian Godfred Add- says the police service is working “At the end of the day, if you Kingsley is proud of his son. But ai-Nyamekye filed such a com- Black. So, I got closely with the province to make do not have consequences put in also fearful. People have died doing plaint after he was beaten during it easier to discipline officers for place — the antecedents for good this work. Adam could, too. a police interaction in the dead of out of the car misconduct. behaviour and then consequences “He knows that I’m concerned winter in 2013. The officer linked The Police Act became law in for bad behaviour — you will never about his well-being, because it’s to the violent arrest, Const. Trevor as he’s holding 1988 and has only seen piecemeal have the tip of the spear reform it- just the way the system works. Lindsay, was convicted of aggra- the gun. And I updates since. self,” says Kingsley. Once you emerge to threaten the vated assault in a separate on-duty Outside of government legisla- In a recording studio in north- established order, the system is incident. Lindsay resigned before opened the door tion, Kingsley Massiah says reform east Calgary where Adam Massiah designed to ensure that as soon facing an internal disciplinary is only possible if “untouchable” spends much of his time, he points as you trip up, you are weakened,” hearing into Addai-Nyamekye’s and pulled down police unions are dismantled. to the motivators in his life who says Kingsley. arrest, allowing the officer to avoid Earlier this year, the Calgary fuel his work. It’s his family and “I hope he survives it.” police proceedings. the blanket — Police Association said it was “ea- those like him who have shared [email protected] In October, police released a ger to contribute” to anti-racism painful stories of racism. Twitter: @SammyHudes statement admitting the “system of course, action but pushed back against a It’s the hundreds of people who [email protected] needs improvement” to reprimand proposal that would have reallo- continue to show up at protests. Twitter: @alanna_smithh officers charged with misconduct it’s my child. cated some of the police budget to “I think I was born for this. I was With editing by Ricky Leong SUPPORTAND BUYLOCAL

SPONSORED BY POSTMEDIA Checkout fiveeye-catching deals on Postmedia’s Local Marketplace

INES MIN POSTMEDIA CONTENT WORKS

Theholidays maylook different this year, butAl- bertans are finding ways to keep their festive spirits up.Dive into the season of generositywith Postme- dia’sSupportand Buy Local Marketplace, now open to Dec. 7. Thespecialonline sale brings deepdiscounts to holidayshoppers and a boost to the local economy. Consumers can save up

to 40 per cent on awide VDG Salumi’sHolidayBox is filled with farm-to-tableproducts. SUPPLIED Aviation enthusiasts will love sittinginaBoeing 737 simulatoratthe Altitude Flight Simulation Center. SUPPLIED rangeofproducts and ser- vices, which will be posted GIFTCERTIFICATE WINE KIT FROM GIFTCERTIFICATETO throughout the sale period TO LA-Z-BOY UWINEMAKER PRESTIGE MEDI-SPA —socheckback daily for the Retail Value:$2,000| Retail Value:$340 | Retail Value:$750| hottestnew deals. MarketplacePrice: $1,400 MarketplacePrice: $204 MarketplacePrice: $525 TheMarketplaceisa Most of us areplanning If you’vebeen lookingfor To really unwind and re- greatway to jumpstartyour on binge-watching TV anew pastime, the search lease the stress of 2020, you’ll Christmas shopping,wheth- shows and film series this endshere. This wine kit is a want to treatyourself to aday er you’relooking to treat winter,sowhy not do it in great waytopick up anew of relaxation at Prestige yourself or give agifttoa ultimatecomfort? Whether hobby and enjoy thefruitsof Medi-Spa. Thespa uses loved one. But be sure to act you’relooking foratradi- your labour.The award- effective, non-invasive med- fast! All items have limited tional or modern piece, winning UWinemaker ical grade technologyand all quantities. La-Z-Boy has the perfect offers astress-free, stream- natural products to help Forthe savvy shopper, sofareadytotakeyour view- lined process thatyields rejuvenate your skin and here are five eye-catching ing experience to the next high-quality,aromatic and catalyze the natural healing Relax in comfortthisholidayseasonwith furniturefromLa-Z-Boy. SUPPLIED dealsonthe Marketplace. level. deliciouswines. processes of your body.

HOLIDAY BOX FROM GIFTCERTIFICATE VDGSALUMI TO ALTITUDE FLIGHT Retail Value:$99.99 | SIMULATION CENTER Marketplace Price: $60 Retail Value:$169| Thefoodie in your life MarketplacePrice: $118 will be thrilledwith this This giftcertificate will ultimateholidaybox.Filled makeagreatgiftfor any with exclusive farm-to-table aviationenthusiast.Feel products, each boxcomes like you’reinthe captain’s withawooden charcuterie seatofaBoeing 737 as you board (madelocallyin take off, cruise and land at Calgary), adecadent black airportsaround the world in Treatyourself to aday of relaxation at PrestigeMedi-Spa. SUPPLIED truffletartufo salami, three this realistic Calgary flight specialholidaysalamis, a simulator experience. They’ll Supportand Buy Local Mar- Visit CalgaryHerald.com/ written holidaynoteand be grinningfrom gate to ketplace closes at 9p.m. on supportlocal to viewall the Makehigh-qualitywineswiththiswinekit from UWinemaker. SUPPLIED more. gate. Monday, Dec. 7. items available.

THIS STORYWAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT DIVISION. A8 Wednesday, december 2, 2020 calgary Herald city+region

BuRden to BeaR

R a cism in calgaRy

About this series

This special three-part series documents the ongoing struggle against racism that has persisted in the Calgary area for generations.

Monday: Calgary’s anti-racism movement Tuesday: Painful realities; police reconciliation Wednesday: Paths forward; leaving hatred behind

To watch videos related to this series, go to calgaryherald.com. Syed Soharwardy, Imam at Al Madinah mosque, says he believes education is one of the keys for tackling racism. Photos: Azin GhAffAri facing the ugly truth

Advocates for racial and religious minorities say there is a way to change things

Sammy HudeS only one issue at a time. Racialized and alanna SmitH communities, instead, need to forge relationships to become a “force to A cramped hotel suite serves as a be reckoned with.” place of refuge for an Airdrie fam- “It’s not about who’s most im- ily afraid to go home. portant, or whose issues are most In a dimly lit common area, important. They’re all important Ahmad Yar speaks of his family’s in different ways. And we can only two-year-long nightmare, endur- attack the issue as a whole,” says ing incessant racial mockery and Chagnon. intimidation from neighbours. “Through Indigenous ways of He says his children now “hate knowing and an Indigenous lens, their own skin.” we see that everything is cyclical, The family of eight fled to a hotel everything is connected. When we in October after hostile relations see those pieces of interconnectiv- with their neighbours hit a break- ity, that’s when we start to see heal- ing point. ing and growth truly happen.” Yar alleges his children have Systemic can be been followed and photographed, traced back to colonization, which and his wife’s traditional garb created economic marginalization mocked. They’ve tried to park in of First Nations people, displace- front of their home, only to find ment through the reserve system, someone else’s car taking up two and physical and psychological vi- spaces. olence against Indigenous people, It feels never-ending. explains Spirit River Striped Wolf, “This is public parking and this the first Indigenous president of road is not meant for ‘brownies,’” the Students’ Association of Mount Yar says they’ve been told. Anti-racism activist Saima Jamal Royal University. “We are basically the only Mus- says failure to act on racism could Through a “policy of cultural lim minority in that neighbour- lead to a “big conflict” of social genocide,” as the Truth and Recon- hood. No one treated us the way unrest in the future. ciliation Commission (TRC) stat- it’s supposed to be.” ed, Indigenous people have faced Yar has called Canada home cating white people about racism “systemic ramifications throughout for nearly three decades. Before and share painful stories — stories of our society that imbue itself into the moving to Airdrie in late 2018, he being targeted, harassed and seeing structures that currently exist,” he worked as a civil engineer in the people that look like them murdered says. Calgary area for the previous 17 — to ring true the reality. Adam North Peigan was just an years. He’s tried reaching out to Allyship — or as anti-racism ad- infant when he and all nine of his the neighbours, as well as politi- vocate Adora Nwofor calls it, being siblings were forcibly removed from cians and police, but tensions ha- an “accomplice” — comes from their home in Piikani First Nation ven’t cooled. The relationship has non-racialized people doing the by the Alberta government in the become so strained, it has resulted work themselves. Being actively an- mid-1960s. in duelling lawsuits and temporary ti-racist means performing research, They grew up separately in the restraining orders. challenging racism in everyday in- care of non-Indigenous foster fam- None of the allegations have teractions, and making or giving up ilies across the province, bouncing been proven in court. space for racialized groups. from home to home. North Peigan’s “It is so stressful. We’re scared to Indigenous leader Chantal Chagnon says it is important for all racialized “Ally means that you can change childhood was characterized by go there. We’re scared to live there. communities to work together to make necessary changes to society. your mind whenever you want,” abandonment issues and a lack of We’re scared for the safety of our says Nwofor, president of Black stability. kids,” says Yar. the movement — called on those in for the same reasons. Lives Matter YYC. “I need an ac- And there was “a lot of abuse that “My little girl, (she says) ‘I wish power and on everyday Albertans According to police data, Black complice. You’re going down with happened in those homes,” he re- we had white skin.’ Unfortunate- to move beyond the streets. Calgarians are targeted the most, me or it doesn’t work.” calls. ly there are people like this, they Imam Syed Soharwardy says followed by Asian and Arab Calgar- White people need to recognize The sunshine and foliage sur- just make your life miserable for misconceptions about Islam still ians when race and ethnicity are their privilege, regardless of barri- round him as he sits on a bench by no reason. No matter how good a run rampant. It can result in back- the motivations for crime. Hate ers faced, to start anti-racism work. the Bow River. But North Peigan re- person you are, they just hate you lash toward Muslim Calgarians, crimes largely go under-reported. They need to accept any discomfort members a darkness in this place because of your colour.” like being told “you don’t belong For Soharwardy, education is the that arises, she says. decades ago. The family says time spent in the to this country.” best path forward. “You keep the momentum going “There were times where I was gloomy hotel is “a kind of misera- Soharwardy used to grow angry Decades ago, he saw hatred to- by leaving your feelings behind. And homeless in the city of Calgary and I ble life with no future.” when he’d hear an Islamophobic ward the Muslim community reach by understanding that, like all of this would come down to Prince’s Island Powerful anti-racism protests slur, or a distortion of his religion. a pinnacle following acts of violence work, when you open your eyes, it’s Park and sleep under a tree for the across Calgary this summer called “In Alberta, there is a racist ele- by extremist groups in the name of going to be better.” night,” he recounts. attention to high-profile cases, like ment here. And they are very vo- Islam. So in the late 1990s, he found- There are simple, tangible ways “I know what it’s like to be home- the death of George Floyd at the cal,” says Soharwardy. “They come ed an organization called Muslims people and organizations can do so less and having to panhandle along hands of a white police officer in to rallies at city hall against Islam Against Terrorism to advocate for day-to-day: Hiring Black people for mall, along 17th the U.S. and the violent arrest of and against Muslims and those peace. their skills and expertise, ensuring Avenue, pushing one of those gro- Godfred Addai-Nyamekye by Cal- kind of things.” This past July, Soharwardy better representation in media and cery carts, looking for bottles. I have gary police. So far this year, 80 incidents are launched a digital billboard cam- creating Black-centred spaces in the lived through hell and back, but I’m Members of the crowd at these being investigated as hate-moti- paign around Calgary, seeking to city, such as community centres. still here.” events also spoke of their person- vated crimes by the Calgary police. spread messages of love in response “I can’t wait another five years. Today, North Peigan is president al experiences of racism, whether This is in line with an uptick in re- to hate. He says this approach helps I mean, I am so tired of this fight,” of the Sixties Scoop Indigenous quietly to friends or loudly over the cent years, following 73 incidents cool tensions and erase misunder- says Nwofor. Society of Alberta. He founded the microphone at makeshift stages. last year, 81 in 2018 and 77 in 2017. standings. “This world is making it so much non-profit group to help survivors The reality of racism isn’t new. Motivations for targeting vic- “As an Imam, as a person of the harder for (my children). I don’t heal from the trauma suffered at the Neither is the fight against it. tims include race or ethnicity, Muslim community, it is my duty want them to be living in trauma hands of the state from the 1950s to Those demonstrations in Cal- sexual orientation, disability and not to get offended but rather edu- anymore. I want them to be living the 1980s, when more than 100,000 gary and beyond breathed new religion. cate — sit down, talk, have patience, in healing. I need healing. My com- Indigenous children across Canada life into the anti-racism move- Between 2012 and 2016, cool down — rather than getting munity needs healing. Black people were taken from their parents by ment. Some called it the start of a hate-motivated crimes averaged emotional,” Soharwardy says. “If I need healing right now.” child intervention services and “revolution.” 60 incidents per year. get angry, it means I’m failing.” As different communities face placed in foster homes. But the path to rebuilding the The police service attributed the Soharwardy says the Muslim common yet unique struggles, ac- But the emotional toll of the ’60s systems that perpetuate racial in- recent rise to “current events” and community should take cues from tivists say they must band together Scoop didn’t end when he aged out equality isn’t clear. a focused effort by Calgary police the Black Lives Matter movement to advance each other’s goals. of the child welfare system and In the months following thun- to raise awareness about the im- “and show the value that we bring Longtime Indigenous champion could finally return home. Para- derous protests in the city, those portance of reporting hate-moti- to the society.” Chantal Chagnon, who founded chuted back into his community, at the grassroots level — and those vated offences. They are on track Others say people of colour should cultural education centre Cree8, North Peigan looked around and whose experiences underpinned to see a similar increase this year not have to bear the burden of edu- says it’s counterproductive to tackle “it was like a war zone.” city+region Wednesday, december 2, 2020 calgary Herald A9

Ahmad Yar says his family was recently driven out of their Airdrie home and into a hotel by acts of racism and anti-Muslim hostility from people in their neighbourhood . of racism in our city

aspirational exercises at best. tality,” Robinson says. “We can “We had good initiatives but they really create a better place.” were developed and delivered by She questions why Calgary, one people, dedicated individuals like of the biggest major cities by land front line people, nurses, police of- mass, continues to expand without ficers, social workers, but we have input from Treaty 7 chiefs and how to ask — why did we fail?” she says. scores of Indigenous people can “I think that our system has not continue to live without housing, actually committed to making sys- as public money gets allocated temic change.” elsewhere. Elected officials and institution- “I actually don’t feel people are al leaders weren’t held account- listening,” she says. “I don’t know if able to implement changes, says Calgarians really understand their Woo-Paw. own history.” Regular reports detailing con- Hope isn’t lost, though. crete measurements of progress Advocates like Robinson find in- and change are needed, with suf- spiration in the next generation of ficient funding in place to enforce young anti-racism leaders. those calls to action. During a school day on Oct. 8, And the need is urgent, says hundreds of high school students Saima Jamal, because those sys- put down their pens and pencils tems have left so many Calgarians and walked out the doors of Bish- behind for far too long. op McNally High School. Teen- Jamal, a well-known Calgary agers marched through Calgary’s anti-racism activist, fears a fail- northeast streets before stopping ure to act could lead to a “clash of in front of Calgary police head- society.” quarters. “I truly believe there is a big con- Hundreds more students from flict coming up,” she says, adding schools across the city staged their it’s unclear what form that could own walkouts. take. “We’re going towards a future They pushed for meaningful ac- He began drinking heavily to of dollars to it.” where there has to be something re- tion by those in power, such as the cope with the weight that came He says there needs to be a move- ally big that happens before things inclusion of Black history in the with adjusting to his new reality. ment that emphasizes “healing You keep the calm down or things level up.” school curriculum. He found his way to Calgary, where programs.” The government can Canadians are influenced by Students shared difficult stories the pattern carried on for 15 years. learn from the lessons of the ’60s momentum their neighbours to the south, of being harassed by police, being “I have two older brothers that Scoop to reform the child welfare says Jamal, pointing to civil unrest, racially profiled in shops and hav- died on the streets here in Calgary system, where Indigenous children going by leaving with media and pop culture, rife ing to endure racism in the hall- to alcoholism and the lifestyle and are still overrepresented to this day. with stereotypes, that “brainwash” ways of their schools. They are the drug addiction. I have an older North Peigan calls it the “millen- your feelings white people to view racialized unwilling to stand for it any longer. sister that lived in Calgary here, nium scoop.” communities as dangerous or dif- These young people are joining a too, and she’s not with me either,” “Because of what happened to behind. And by ferent. But the mentality, arguably growing chorus of Calgarians com- he says. the ’60s Scoop, we are now in a understanding more visible in the U.S., still stews mitted to weeding out the inequal- Many survivors of the ’60s Scoop position to have meaningful influ- in Canada. ities rooted in everyday systems — are in their 50s to 70s today. ence in child welfare reform,” he that, like all of When it comes to inequalities through protests, new anti-racism “There are a lot of survivors that says. “But the government needs at home, there’s much more that organizations and by holding civic still have not made it home and to have that willingness to sit down this work, when local leaders can be doing. leaders’ feet to the fire. they have not come as far as others and willingness to listen.” If change ever happens, “it has The fight for his family’s protec- have,” North Peigan says. “They’re The Truth and Reconciliation you open your to come from the top,” says Jamal. tion is Yar’s own act of resistance. still wandering the streets, they’re Commission published its final In September, counter-protest- As he combs through court doc- still homeless, they’re still drink- report in 2015. eyes, it’s going ers donning clothes emblazoned uments in the gloomy hotel suite, ing heavily, involved in drugs — but It’s one of many govern- with logos of far-right hate groups his wife sits to his side, her head they’re searching, they’re looking ment-mandated action items that to be better. like Soldiers of Odin disrupted a in her hands and tears streaming for someone.” detail the country’s push toward peaceful anti-racism protest in Red down her cheeks. Adora Nwofor, Trauma in Indigenous commu- equity for all its citizens. The im- Deer, chanting “all lives matter.” The family stays there for 10 president, Black nities may not be “as outward or plementation of the Canadian “Obviously, we condemn racism days, until mounting costs force Lives Matter YYC as obvious” as some might think, Act in 1988, for and racial prejudice in any mani- them back to the house where they says Striped Wolf, who, like North example, aimed to recognize and festation,” Premier Jason Kenney feel surrounded by fear. Peigan, is from the Piikani First promote “the cultural and racial know a different reality. said when asked to unequivocally That “dream home” Yar built Nation. Both are children of res- diversity of Canadian society.” She says understanding the ide- denounce such white supremacist for his family seems less idyllic idential school survivors. The act may have inspired peo- ologies that perpetuate systems groups. now, having been adapted with Striped Wolf says the next gen- ple, explains former MLA Teresa of exclusion is the first step to “It is un-Canadian and un-Al- increased safety and privacy eration has been forced to inherit Woo-Paw, but it didn’t “have teeth.” addressing systemic racism. It’s bertan, and I think it’s unfortunate measures, like security cameras lingering emotional pain. On a cool July day, Woo-Paw sits about understanding Calgarians’ that we’ve got a small number of and outdoor hideaway screens, Suicides are far too prevalent, on the edge of a monument in Sien deeply held beliefs of who belongs. kooks who go around trying to get to ward off unwanted attention. especially among youth, he says, Lok Park, where part of Chinatown “Some Canadians still have to attention for a message of hate. I The parents have instructed their and some communities have be- meets the Bow River. Just weeks prove they are equal citizens ev- don’t think we should give them children to stay indoors, sealed off come numb to frequent upticks in later, dozens would gather there ery day,” says Woo-Paw. “And there the attention that they crave.” from the outside world for their addiction rates. for a protest to call on officials to are people that actually just enjoy Jamal says Kenney needs to out- own protection. Communities need action from defund the police. that privilege without actually right denounce those groups and The pain this family feels is those in power, Striped Wolf adds. The large marble structure in having to do anything because of what they stand for. known by many others. He challenged Prime Minister the park honours Chinese pio- the ‘right’ skin colour.” “(Politicians) are the ones that Too many others. Justin Trudeau on his efforts to- neers who came to Canada before She says Calgary has been slow are holding the real power to bring Those fighting for racial equality wards reconciliation at a forum 1947 — a time when the country to make meaningful change. the real change,” said Jamal. “This in every facet of society know it’s during last year’s federal election tried to actively restrict Chinese Before becoming an MLA in awakening that has happened in vital for their children and grand- campaign. immigration. 2008, Woo-Paw facilitated diver- the grassroots level, it is putting children. “One thing I told Trudeau was Woo-Paw, who chairs Asian Cana- sity training in roles with orga- that pressure. But until or unless The fight is far from over, they residential schools were radical dians Together to End Racism, says nizations like the Calgary Health those people in power change, say, but now is not the time to re- policy and we need radical policy those in the community often strug- Region (one of the forerunners of I don’t know how we, as a whole main complacent. Every person to be able to deal with some of the gle to feel a “sense of belonging.” Alberta Health Services), the Cal- society, are going to change.” has a responsibility to step up. issues that Indigenous people ex- That anxiety has only amplified gary Board of Education and the But it’s everyday Albertans who Because if society fails today, the perience,” he recalls. as anti-Asian sentiment grows United Way. have the power to make a differ- burden will fall on the shoulders of “What can civil society do and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Woo-Paw says she participated ence, says Michelle Robinson, an generations tomorrow. what can institutions like univer- Etched into the “Wall of Names” in the first cross-cultural training Indigenous organizer. She says it’s And it’s a burden too heavy to sities do? What can companies and plaque, it reads: “The Chinese have with the Calgary police in the mid- their “responsibility,” too, as much carry. the police do and so forth? I think been legally and culturally accept- 1980s, reviewed health barriers as it is the government’s. [email protected] we all have a piece to play.” ed into Canada with full rights and in Calgary in the early 1990s and “Everybody’s going to benefit Twitter: @SammyHudes North Peigan says reconciliation continue to enrich the Canadian served on the Diversity Calgary from us having real conversations [email protected] goes beyond “putting together a mosaic.” Leadership Council in the early about racism, systemic racism, @alanna_smithh committee and throwing billions Woo-Paw says Asian-Calgarians 2000s. But she said they’ve been change with settler colonial men- With editing by Ricky Leong