Posted May 19, 2024 in News by teamganley.ca
Alberta NDP leadership candidate Kathleen Ganley and her team are committing to a series of actions to fight racism and build an economy that works for people.
“Working together, we can do incredible things,” Ganley said. “We can build a society that is inclusive, respectful and where we support each other. Racism has no place in this and that’s why I’m proud to have worked with my team on several key commitments to fight racism while growing our economy and welcoming newcomers here.”
The commitments include:
- Anti-Racism Curriculum: Anti-racism should start in schools. We are committing to curriculum development that is done by experts, including experts in anti-racism education. It should include education about other cultures and about how diversity enriches us all. We must educate children about inherent bias, and teach them not just to be tolerant, but to be anti-racism. This includes history and sociology, and disputes the myths underlying islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, and all other forms of bias.
- Foreign Credential Recognition: We are committing to providing a definitive path for foreign credentials to be recognized. People deserve to know how long it will take and how much it will cost at the outset. This is a big undertaking, but it can be achieved by setting clear goals and timelines in collaboration with self-governing professions. We will begin with skill areas of greatest need and eventually streamline processes for all professions — for example, we have women driving on the highway in labour because of a physician shortage while trained doctors are struggling to get their credentials recognized.
We will introduce regulations that eliminate requirements for Canadian work experience for professional registration and licensing unless an exemption is granted based on a demonstrated public health and safety risk.
In addition, we will work to implement training programs for much-needed professionals like healthcare and skilled trades that recognize pre-skills or similar skills and provide training that gets people working and our economy turning. We will also work to fill gaps where someone is recognized as having a graduate science degree but can’t take an upgrade course because we don’t recognize their high school.
- Collecting Race-Based Data: We will ensure that government agencies collect race-based data. Our systems are often set up with bias — to create policy to combat that bias we must start with information. We know that the symptoms of a heart attack in a black woman may be different than in a white man and, as a result, that woman is less likely to receive timely and appropriate treatment. We know that there are serious disparities in outcomes for Indigenous people, and many other racialized folks. We are committed to collecting and publishing aggregate data on health, justice, and other government areas to ensure we collect this data, then take meaningful action to change policies and outcomes.
- Increased Funding To The Human Rights Commission: The commission plays a vital role in upholding human rights, settling disputes and steering initiatives to promote education and greater understanding. We would reintroduce the Human Rights Anti-Racism Education Fund and increase funding to expand the scope and impact of the commission’s work.
- Strengthen Community Initiatives: We will reintroduce a community-based anti-racism grant program and expand funding to build spaces to promote diversity and inclusion and build a harmonious, prosperous, and vibrant community/society.
- Increasing Access to Culturally Competent & Specific Long-Term Care: All seniors deserve care that makes them feel comfortable and included. We are committed to investing in long-term care that recognizes that culture, language, and food can be a part of that.
- Ensuring Representation In Civil Service & Justice: All branches of government, from policing and justice to social services should reflect the diversity of the people they serve. We are committed to adopting strategies that ensure that they do.
