Voting queens: Brett Renee Meeches (left) takes a selfie with Amber Fontaine (middle) and Shanna Copenace during the Winnipeg municipal election.
Indigenous issues
People are food insecure when they do not have access to, or enough money to buy safe and nutritious food, preventing them from enjoying a healthy diet. Food insecurity is major concern for many low-income Winnipeg families. Aboriginal and Newcomer refugee families are among the poorest in Winnipeg, and have very high rates of food insecurity, which is closely related to poor nutritional health. Too many children have diets that are too high in sugar, fat and salt from eating an abundance of highly processed and fast foods, which can be less expensive than healthier alternatives. This c
Our research study responds to questions: how do female students define and measure their own successes? And what factors have contributed to their successes? Bonnycastle and Simpkins interviewed 27 female postsecondary students. See full report above.
Homelessness has recently been much in the news, because of the tragic deaths of three homeless people in Winnipeg and also because of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association’s National Congress on Housing and Homelessness, held last week in Winnipeg. Canada is one of the very few advanced industrialized countries in the world that does not have a national housing strategy, and for low-income people in particular the consequences are severe, and sometimes deadly.
On April 16th, 2014, a fire broke out in a rooming house on Enfield Crescent in Winnipeg’s St. Boniface neighbourhood. The fire resulted in the death of an elderly man and injuries to several other residents of the building. This tragic event served as somber precursor to the release of the May 2014 report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives- Manitoba, Rooming Houses to Rooming Homes.
This report weaves together findings from data gathered through two other research reports published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) Manitoba. The purpose is to build upon evidence that demonstrates how and why a Labour Market Intermediary (LMI) can address the challenges that Aboriginal people with barriers to employment face when transitioning from training to employment.
There is a growing opportunity in Manitoba to bridge the economic and social divide between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. First of all, Manitoba employers are looking for skilled workers. Second of all, our large and young Aboriginal population continues to increase at a faster rate than the non-Aboriginal population. Aboriginal people who are skilled and educated will have few problems finding and keeping good jobs.
When the Government of Canada decided to cancel the long form census for 2011 and replace it with the voluntary National Household Survey (NHS) many expressed concern NHS data would be less reliable and vulnerable populations would be less likely to participate. These concerns have proven to be correct.
The Maclean’s article citing Winnipeg as Canada’s most racist city has prompted a public conversation that may prove to be useful. It is important that Winnipeg’s two solitudes get to know each other, at a personal and social level, and that non-Aboriginal people speak to and about Aboriginal people in a way that is respectful.
To address persistent poverty in this province, community groups have outlined a plan to provide Manitobans with the tools they need for a life of dignity and opportunity. The View from Here 2015: Manitobans Call for a Renewed Poverty Reduction Plan assembles the ideas and findings of on-the-ground experts and recent research in a comprehensive package of recommendations endorsed by over 90 organizations across the province.