Poverty is a human rights issue. A “Basic Income” is a policy idea centered on providing all individuals within a society with a regular, unconditional payment from the government. This payment is intended to cover essential living expenses, ensuring everyone has a financial safety net regardless of their employment status, income level, or personal circumstances.

From 1974 to 1979 Manitoba experimented with a social program called the Manitoba Basic Annual Income or “Mincome”. Mincome was a landmark study that took place in Dauphin Manitoba and parts of Winnipeg. Evelyn Forget, a distinguished professor of economics and community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba shares her thoughts on the health and social implications of poverty and inequality and why a basic income is important to address those issues.

Despite critics who often raise concerns about its cost, potential effects on workforce participation, and implementation challenges, through her research Forget explains that a basic income is a way to reduce poverty and in addition proved that there were actual positive outcomes on the health care system both in reduction of hospital stays and the mental well-being of the residents and the community.

Evelyn Forget is the author of “Basic Income for Canadians” and co-author of “Radical Trust: basic income for complicated lives” is often called upon by governments , First Nations and international organizations to advise on poverty, inequality, health and social outcomes. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and an Officer of the Order of Canada.

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The Canadian Museum for Human Rights recently released a survey called Foresights for Human Rights. This national survey offers numerous and interesting insights into the human rights landscape of Canada. Matthew Cutler, my guest on this episode of Humans, on Rights and the vice-president of exhibitions at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights talks about how respondents felt less free to express their views and have honest conversations in many places, including education institutions. Cutler shares that the CMHR has some thinking to do about how we maintain trust and how the Museum invites Canadians into those conversations in a way where they feel safe to say what they think without fear of shame or retribution to their ideas. Although there is more research needed, Matthew Cutler said he found comfort that the results of the Foresights for Human Rights survey provided a real sense that “a vast majority of Canadians believe we have a responsibility to take care of each other.”

To download the Foresights for Human Rights 2024 Preliminary Report, go to humanrights.ca.

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"AI is likely to be either the best or the worst thing to happen to humanity” - Stephen Hawking

Cody Chomiak, a recognized voice in the field of artificial intelligence, and the Vice President of Marketing, Travel Manitoba shares his thought provoking comments on how AI is changing the world before our very eyes. Chomiak reminds us that what was once science fiction, we now carry systems powered by AI in our pockets and wear them on wrists. Although Chomiak recognizes the risks that can dampen the considerable possibilities that AI presents, he is a strong advocate that the promise of AI to improve our lives, especially for those who experience human rights challenges due to physical or mental barriers. Driverless cars providing access to transportation for those with physical disabilities to Google glasses that allow those with visual impairment to read text in any language.Cody highly recommends Dr. Joy Buolamwini’s book Unmasking AI and the Dean of MBA at NYU Stern School of Business, Connor Grennan’s Quick Start Guide to Understanding AI.

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Sport is not an equal plying field. We need to change the game. Craig Brown from Anti Racism in Sport talks about how the lack of empirical information that details the experiences of First Nations, Inuit, Metis, Black, Racialized and Religious Minority communities in sport in Winnipeg became the backdrop for the Anti Racism in Sport organization. Out of the research, Brown talks about the importance of the findings and more importantly shares the recommendations of the findings:

Education and training

Increasing Anti-Racism Awareness

Taking Action in Addressing Structural Inequities

Brown talks about the importance of and meaning of setting up the Anti Racism in Sport Calls to Action Accord.

Brown has a clinical and applied interest in the mental health and well being of the marginalized population. His research involvement has included explorations of newcomer varsity athletes adjusting to life in Winnipeg. Brown has worked with various sport organizations as a Mental Performance Consultant.

His mantra is to be the change that he wishes to see in others, one interaction at a time.

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With over 15 years of experience as a peacebuilder and certified environmental professional, Somia Sadiq the founder and CEO of Narratives Inc. has been exploring how inclusive planning and Indigenous led solutions are crucial in advancing human rights locally in Manitoba and more broadly.

In this episode of Humans, on Rights, Somia shares multiple stories and examples of how she and her team seek to find and create spaces for respectful dialogue, to teach, advance diplomacy, and real barriers with purpose driven communities.

Her personal journey, shaped by her family’s experiences during the Partition of India and Pakistan, her own entrepreneurial driven spirit as newcomer to Canada, has inspired Somia to become a leading advocate for inclusive, transformative change.

Somia Sadiq Social Media:

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/somiasadiq/

Instagram – www.instagram.com/somiasadiq/

Personal website – www.somiasadiq.com

Narratives Inc. website - www.narativesinc.com

Kahanee website – www.kahanee.ca

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J Fiedler is a sexuality educator originally from Detroit, MI. They have a background in HIV/AIDS, 2STLGBQIA+ culture & inclusion and Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Over the years J has facilitated workshops in various territories around Manitoba from The Pas to Vita. They now live in Winnipeg and they are a member of the Sexual Education Research Centre (SERC)

In this episode, J talks about how sexual health is a vital aspect of overall well-being, encompassing physical, emotional, mental, and social dimensions related to sexuality. Sexual health education helps with the prevention of STI’s and HIV.

Some of the topics J shared on this episode are how sexual health education promotes respect, consent, and communication within relationships, leading to healthier emotional connections and reduced instances of abuse or coercion. How sexual health education breaks stigmas and how openly about sexual health reduces stigma around topics like contraception, sexuality, gender identity, and sexually transmitted infections

J also shared that there is a move to push back on sexual health education and the challenges that means for todays youth.

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The State of Sex Ed in Canada (Action Canada): https://www.actioncanadashr.org/resources/reports-analysis/2020-04-03-state-sex-ed-report

SIECCAN Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education: https://www.sieccan.org/_files/ugd/1332d5_e3ee36e39d944009956af5b86f0a5ed6.pdf

Manitoba First Nation Education Resource Centre - Human Sexuality: https://mfnerc.org/resource/human-sexuality/

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Pay discrimination and inequality persist in Manitoba with women earning, on average, 71 % of what men earn.

To talk about this disparity, we talk with Molly McCracken, Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Manitoba office. Molly talks about a very indepth, well researched, and well written document called “Tired of Waiting : Rectifying Manitoba’s Pay Gap”.

She has over 17 years of experience as a research manager and advisor in various social and economic policy areas. She is a member of the Climate Action Team Manitoba, the Equal Pay Day Manitoba Coalition, Chair of the Provincial Committee to Make Poverty History Manitoba and a Member of the Manitoba Research Alliance.

Molly holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University and an undergraduate honours degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies .

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Darcy Ataman is a Canadian humanitarian, music producer, and the founder and CEO of Make Music Matter, an organization that uses music therapy to help survivors of conflict and trauma. He created the Healing in Harmony program, which integrates music therapy with psychological support to assist individuals in recovering from traumatic experiences, particularly survivors of sexual violence and conflict in countries like Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and others. His work focuses on empowering marginalized communities by allowing participants to express their emotions and stories through music, helping them heal emotionally and psychologically.

Ataman has collaborated with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege to expand this initiative, and Healing in Harmony has helped over 15,000 people across multiple countries. He has also worked on projects with Indigenous communities in Canada to address generational trauma. As a music producer, Ataman has collaborated with notable artists and earned several Juno nominations. His contributions to humanitarian causes have earned him multiple awards, including the Order of Manitoba and the Meritorious Service Cross from the Governor General of Canada.

Darcy’s latest creation is an art installation, made entirely from donated shoes, once belonging to and donated by displaced refugees, entitled Travel Safe. Travel Safe is a large-scale recreation of Turkish photojournalist Nilüfer’s photo of the body of two year old Alan Kurdi, who had drowned, along with his mother and brother, in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to reach Europe in September 2015.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_makemusicmatter_

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Over the course of her incredible career, Carol Off has reached a level of journalistic excellence that has been equalled by few. She has covered conflicts in the Middle East, Haiti, the Balkans and the sub-continent. As well as events in the former Soviet Union, Europe, Asia, the United States and Canada. She reported the fallout from the 9/11 disasters with news features and documentaries from New York, Washington, London, Cairo, and Afghanistan and has won numerous awards from her CBC television documentaries in Asia, Africa and Europe.

This fall, Carol Off returns with a provocative new book that digs deep into six words whose meanings have been distorted and weaponized in recent years -including democracy, freedom, and truth – and asks whether we can reclaim their value.

As co-host of CBC Radio’s As It Happens, Carol Off spent a decade and a half talking to people in the news five nights a week. Those interviews have given Carol a unique vantage point on the crucial subject at the heart of her new book – how, in these polarizing years, words that used to define civil society and social justice are being put to work for a completely different political agenda. Or they are being bleached of their meaning as the values they represent are mocked and distorted. As Off writes “if our language doesn’t have a means to express an idea, then the idea itself is gone –even the range of thought is diminished.” And, as she argues, that is a dangerous loss.

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Cathy Ching and the South Central Regional Library System were recently recognized by the Manitoba Library Association alongside the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers as the inaugural Human Rights Book Award.

Cathy Ching talks about how Manitoba libraries are upholding fundamental values of intellectual freedom, inclusion and diversity despite recent calls for censorship and the harassment of library workers.

Ching and her team at South Central Regional Library have remained passionately steadfast, and according to their nominator for the Human Rights Book Award “remarkably positive throughout their censorship ordeals”.

Cathy Ching has been with South Central Regional Library for 20 years and has served at the Director Level for the past 8 years. As you will hear directly form Cathy, she loves her job and loves the people she works with.

Cathy Ching is passionate about living in rural Manitoba where she spends sharing her life with mother nature’s wildlife.

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