Putting Children First 2014 Gall Conference
Commemorating International Human Rights Day Wednesday, December 10, 2014
ATB Financial Arts Barns - 8330 104 Street
9 am Registration Opens Cofee and Tea throughout the day provided by the Sri Lankan Community
10 am Opening of Day: Master of Ceremony Renée Vaugeois, Executive Director John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
Opening Prayer and Reflection on Our Children Elder Theresa Strawberry, O’Chiese Nation
Welcome on Behalf of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights !!Joan Cowling, President
10.20 am Opening Presentation Meeting our Commitments to Children’s Rights in Canada - how is a child rights approach relevant for us in Canada?
Lisa Wolf, Director of Advocacy and Education, UNICEF Canada
Twenty five years ago, Canada was among the first to sign onto the newly minted United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Childhood has changed in many ways since then, but the Convention remains a remarkably useful tool to guide decisions and actions afecting children. Its greatest shortcoming is simply that it is too seldom used in developing laws, policies, budgets, programs and other decision-making. Its potential is to ofer clarity about the conditions to which children are entitled as a matter of obligation rather than charity; the principles that help guide the difcult decisions; and the diferent roles we must play. We will explore how Canadians working for children in any capacity can use the Convention to support their work and fulfill the promise of the Convention. The ultimate aim is to ensure every child the best possible conditions for growing up in Canada.
1 Biography: Lisa Wolf, Director, Policy and Education, UNICEF Canada, has worked in the organization for more than a decade directing the domestic education and policy programs, which advance the rights of Canada’s children to develop to their fullest potential, consistent with international human rights standards. Working with national, provincial/territorial and community government, institutions, civil society, researchers and private sector partners, Lisa has developed initiatives to advance children’s rights in policy, governance, child related programming and educational curricula. These include research publications on various aspects of children’s rights and well-being, programs such as UNICEF Canada’s Rights Respecting Schools Initiative, Bring Your MP to School Day and Municipalités amies des enfants; training for government and other institutions; public events to convene dialogue on aspects of children’s rights; parliamentary engagement on legislative proposals and studies; and range of other eforts.
Lisa is a member of the Advocacy Task Force for UNICEF internationally. She is a member of the Board of Directors of PREVNet and of the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children. She has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from University of Waterloo, and a Bachelor of Education and Master of Education from the University of Toronto. Lisa received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Governor-General of Canada in 2012.
11.15 am Tables Dialogues What are our obligations to children? What are the present realities of children’s rights in our province and communities?
12 pm Lunch catered by The Dish and Runaway Spoon
1 pm Cofee Table Discussion Early Child Development Mapping Project: Reflections from Research with a keen eye to Socio-Economic Factors
Moderated by Chelsea Freeborn
This cofee table conversation will explore the results of the research from the Early Child Development Mapping Project and consider what it means for children and families in Alberta and Edmonton. The discussants will consider eforts that are contributing to children’s well-being in the province but also what the barriers and gaps are to preventing organizations, families and children in achieving their rights. This will be a frank discussion that will challenge delegates to consider how we can move forward to advance children’s rights as citizens and as a province.
Bev Parks, Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre Bev Parks has been in the Social Service Sector for over 30 years. Her passion for seeing optimal
2 child development, stable self sufcient families and strong supportive communities has led her to being the Executive Director of Norwood Child & Family Resource Centre for over 15 years. Prior to that her work as Vice President of Research and Evaluation for the United Way for the Alberta Capital reflects her interest and desire to link research and policy to on the ground practice. Bev is a strong community leader and ambassador for change. Bev belongs to a number of collaborative her in the city as well as on a provincial level. Some of those initiatives include Partnership with Children Services and Community agencies called “Relentless Caring Connections”; Aligning Early Learning and Care; City Centre Coalition for early childhood development and working towards a provincial framework for Respite Care.
Dr. Susan Lynch, University of Alberta Dr. Susan Lynch is an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Extension at the University of Alberta. She received her PhD and master’s degree in early childhood education at the U of A and has worked in public education for 45 years. She was an elementary school teacher and principal and served as associate superintendent with the Edmonton Public School District. In 1987, she joined the Alberta Department of Education where she worked in a number of capacities, including as assistant deputy minister, until 2001. Since then Dr. Lynch has coordinated many development and research projects, including the Edmonton Early Childhood Development Community Mapping Pilot Project. The project piloted the use of the Early Development Instrument (EDI) in Edmonton. Dr. Lynch directed the Child Study Centre at the U of A for six years and is a member of several boards and councils, including Success By 6 Edmonton and the Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth and Families (CUP) in the Faculty of Extension.
Yvonne Chiu, Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative Yvonne Chiu is one of the founding members of the Multicultural Health Brokers Co-operative in Edmonton. Yvonne's role in this workers coop is to reveal both the realities, struggles and strength of immigrant, refugee and newcomers to Canada for the purpose of social change, and how the Cultural Brokering practice illustrated by the Multicultural Health Brokers aims to address such realities. Yvonne is currently also a member of the Mayor’s Task Force to End Poverty in Edmonton.
2 pm Table Dialogues Considering the Successes and Gaps for Advancing Children’s Rights as well as Community Level Impacts
Refreshments available during dialogues provided by Cobs Bread (www.cobsbread.com)
3 3 pm Presentation and Discussion Perspectives on Youth Poverty: Toward Cultivating a Community of Care for ALL children and Youth
Moderated by Maigan van der Giessen
Stephenie and Brandon are both the co-leads of JHC’s Youth Action Project against Poverty. This team of young Edmontonians is working toward building recommendations for the Mayor’s Task Force on Poverty while engaging in critical debate and learning. They will share their personal journeys but also their perspective on addressing poverty among young people. They will then be joined by Brianna Olson who brings a deepened perspective on the impacts of youth poverty and Joanne Minaker who will speak to our collective responsibility in cultivating a community of care for ALL children and youth while reflecting on her own research with young people experiencing poverty.
Stephenie White After overcoming many challenges in her childhood and adolescence, Stephenie has now been sober for 3 years on December 20th. She is currently attending Grant Macewan and starting her Bachelor of Arts in January. She has taken a lot of training for leadership and facilitating in the last few years; public speaking on addictions and mental health. She started doing music when she was in treatment almost 3 years ago and it helped a lot finding her voice. In her words “‘cause my mom could never aford to get me into anything so it meant a lot for me to find something I was good at.”
Brandon Gladue Brandon Gladeau is a 19 year old young man with passion for art and fitness. He's currently enrolled in martial arts and is a facilitator on the Youth Against Poverty action team. Although he's faced multi dynamics of poverty, he's a clear example of triumph over obstacle.
Joanne C. Minaker Dr. Joanne Minaker is a Sociologist, Qualitative Researcher and Mother of three. Joanne's body of work examines the relationships between care, human connection, and social in/justice. She is Associate Professor at MacEwan University and Founder of Cared Humanity. Dr. Minaker received a PhD in Socio-Legal Studies from Queen's University in 2003 and has since developed two main areas of scholarly research and social engagement: 1) youth crime, youth justice, and criminalized youth; 2) sociology of care, motherhood studies, and marginalized mothering. Her areas of study include care, human connection, social exclusion/inclusion, marginalization, and social in/justice. She is an award-winning instructor who teaches a variety of courses, among them: Criminology; Youth, Crime and Society; Gender, Crime and Justice.
Brianna Olson Brianna Olson is an Anishnaabe/ Métis woman, activist and registered social worker who lives and practices on Traditional Cree territory in edmonton, AB. She is also an artist, educator, mentor and recent graduate of University of Victoria BSW program with an indigenous
4 specialization. After spending her childhood growing up in the inner city, she has attempted to remain connected to her Traditional indigenous roots and acknowledges that this knowledge has profound positive impacts in her own life as well in the social work field and all areas of our society. Brianna is committed to social justice in her practice, serving youth who are marginalized in this city, as well as in her tireless activism in the community. She is honored to be able to share her experience, shine light on and give a voice to difcult issues of oppression that many youth, indigenous peoples and marginalized members of our society often face in silence.
4 pm Table Dialogues Building Recommendations for Government and Making Commitments for the Future
4.45 pm Closing Remarks: Manmeet Bhullar, Minister of Infrastructure
4.55 pm Closing Remarks: Chief Commissioner Robert A Philp
BREAK
Following the formal conference program, we invite you to stay with us for some networking time before the evening program with Keynote Dr. Cindy Blackstock. At this time you may choose to go out for a bit or just hang around with us to continue conversations and strengthen relationships. We will have refreshments available to tie us over.
5 8th Annual Human Rights Awards
6.30 pm Doors Open
7 pm Welcome for the Evening Master of Ceremonies: Roxanne Ulanicki and Wade King
Welcome on Behalf of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights !!Joan Cowling, President
7.15 pm Presentation of Human Rights Awards
This year’s winners include Velvet Martin, Marni Pannas, Mohamed El Daly, Brianna Olson and Amarjeet Sohi! Join us to congratulate and celebrate them!
7.35 pm Performance from Samantha Wiltzen and Hannah Gazso
Samantha Wiltzen 11-year-old Samantha Wiltzen from Sherwood Park has been performing since she was 4. This past summer, she had the privilege of singing at the Premiers Breakfast. Other performances included the CIBC Run for the Cure at Churchill Square, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Night of Honour, Big Valley Jamboree this past August, and singing The National Anthem at Telus Field. She recently won the first ever Little Miss Humanity 2014, which was a “Too School for Cool” charity event that raised funds for buying school supplies for children in the poorer regions of the Philippines. Samantha has also participated in two music videos, a short film on bullying, which will be released soon, and is in a commercial that is now airing for the Telus World of Science IMAX Theatre.
Hannah Gazso Hannah Gazso is an 11 year old, Grade 6 student from Ardrossan, AB. She loves all kinds of music and performing on stage and has enjoyed the many wonderful opportunities to perform at a variety of events for several diferent organizations throughout Edmonton. Two big highlights this past year were performing for the Premier of Alberta at the Premier's Breakfast and also making the semi-finals at the Big Valley Jamboree Homegrown Talent Competition. When she is not busy singing or dancing, Hannah enjoys hanging out with her friends, photography and reading.
7.45 pm Remarks from Del Graf, Children’s Advocate
6 7.50 pm Evening Keynote Presentation Reconciliation: The Children’s Version
Dr. Cindy Blackstock Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and Associate Professor, University of Alberta
With each generation comes a chance to create a Canada worthy of all of our children’s dreams. This presentation shows how children and young people are leading the movement for culturally based equity for First Nations children and their families and uplifting the country in the process.
Biography A member of the Gitksan First Nation, Cindy has 25 years of social work experience in child protection and indigenous children’s rights. As Director of the First Nations Children’s Action Research and Education Service (FNCARES) at the University of Alberta, her research interests are indigenous theory and the identification and remediation of structural inequalities afecting First Nations children, youth and families. Her promotion of culturally based and evidence informed solutions, has been recognized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Frontline Defenders and many others.
An author of over 50 publications and a widely sought after public speaker, Cindy has collaborated with other Indigenous leaders to assist the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in the development and adoption of a General Comment on the Rights of Indigenous children. She also recently worked with Indigenous young people, UNICEF and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to produce a youth friendly version of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child. Cindy is currently completing a Master of Jurisprudence in Children’s Law and Policy at the Loyola University Chicago.
8.30 pm Reception with Entertainment, Mingling and Silent Auction in Foyer Musician: Jay Gilday
A vagabond turned mailman, Jay Gilday has searched for himself in the depths of Folk, blues, traditional, rock and most recently soul music. The quest continues as Jay takes his experiences from the roads of Canada, the daily roller-coaster of work, family, and performance and weaves them into song. Jay’s live performance is executed with a trained voice and a passion to drive it backed up by a heavy hitting guitar, finger-style or flat-picked, your choice.
Proceeds from the silent auction support the work to provide human rights education to children and youth at the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights.
Reception sponsored by Salma and Zaheer Lakhani.
7 The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights is an organization committed to advancing the principles enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and other international documents, through education, dialogue and change. Named after John Peters Humphrey, a Canadian lawyer and principal drafter of the UDHR, the Centre believes that education in human rights has an immense power to transform; for “on its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable development”. (Kofi Annan)
The John Humphrey Centre has played a valuable role in our communities since 1998. The Centre is a legacy of the largest international conference held in the world in commemoration of the UDHR at the Shaw Conference Centre. It was at this event that Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Honourable Antonio Lamer and the Honourable Mary Robinson, graced Edmonton with inspiration to be a leader in advancing human rights. It was through Tutu’s visit that Alberta agreed to ratify and commit to the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
An organization unique in approach and providing pivotal changes among young people and in our communities, we have undertaken key initiatives supporting our province and communities:
Since 2008, Circle Alberta has led peace-building work between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Peoples in Alberta, bringing us closer together for building a shared and prosperous future; Since 2004, the Centre has led Edmonton as the first Human Rights City in North America and the first of eight among the now forty one across the world; Since 2012, we have been a leader working with UNICEF Canada on building stronger, inclusive school communities with the Rights Respecting Schools initiative; For eight years, we have been providing innovative youth leadership programming exploring local human rights and interfaith initiatives. Provided training to public sector ofcials and non-profit agencies on cultural competency and human rights based approaches to policy and programming; Board of Directors In partnership with UNESCO, launched the Ignite Change Now! Global Youth Assembly which has brought over 1500 young leaders committed to Joan Cowling, President human rights and peace to Edmonton; Lewis Cardinal, Vice President Is recognized nationally as an innovative leader in youth engagement and Robert Gardner, Treasurer Norm McLeod, Secretary citizenship programming with alumni achieving meaningful change in their Gurcharan Bhatia communities; Dominique Clément Reached over 30,000 children and youth in summer programming teaching Claire Edwards them how to live and play together in peace and understanding; and, Salma Lakhani Provided professional development and created tools and educational Rafath Sayeed resources for teachers to integrate human rights education in their Roxanne Ulanicki classrooms, some of which have been approved by Alberta Education.
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