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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 16, 1996 MINUTES A meeting of the Pickering Advisory Committee on Race Relations and Equity was held in the Pickering Civic Complex on Tuesday, April 16, 1996 at 7:00 p.m. Present: Roland Rutland, Social Development(Co-Chair) Mayor Wayne Arthurs Staff Sergeant Gord, McKechnie, Durham Regional Police Jane Kiyonaga, Durham Separate School Board Abou Nabe, Community Appointee Donna Bovolaneas, Community Appointee Olivia Rose, St. Mary High School Stephen Reynolds, Town of Pickering Margaret Donaldson, Recording Secretary Roger Beckett Regrets: Councillor Dave Ryan(Co-Chair) Jack Gardner, Durham Board of Education Ian Weber, Community Appointee Dr. Zahanat Khan, Community Appointee Angie Littefield, Pine Ridge Secondary School 1. Welcome Roland Rutland welcomed all in attendance. 2. Wrap Up -Race Relations Forum Comments and Feedback Gord McKechnie stated that he received numerous positive comments. It generated a lot of interest at his place of work. Some people were surprised to learn that White Supremacist Groups existed. Olivia Rose stated that the Key Note Speaker Mr. Bromley Armstrong was excellent. Mayor Arthurs commented on the Forum. He stated that it was outstanding. He felt that Mr. Armstrong gave good answers and it was extremely well done. Excellent turn out for the Forum. Donna Bovolaneas was concerned with regards to the write-up in the News Advertiser. 2 Mr. Reynolds advised that Councillor Ryan recently met with the News Advertiser's Editor Steve Houston. No negative responses were received with regards to the write-up. Mr. Houston is willing to attend a future committee meeting Mayor Arthurs recommended preparing a News Release to hand out to the Media at the actual event. Jane Kiyonaga stated that it was a win win situation with the Community, Town and Committee. Some snowball effects and positive dialogue ensued from the Forum. She felt that for future Forums that we need people power and a budget. Donna Bovolaneas stated that she was very satisfied with the message conveyed to the community during the Forum. Steve Reynolds felt it was a positive event and a hands on learning experience. Commented that the Brochure was the highlight. A quality production. Abou Nabe thanked committee members for their hard work on preparing the Forum as he was absent from the Country at that time. He felt the event was very well planned and very impressed on how successful the Forum and launching of the Harassment Brochure went. Roland Rutland commented that Donna, Jane and Gord and Steve's department staff really went the extra mile during March Break. There was tremendous positive feed back from many Ethno Cultural Groups with regard to the Forum. Jane Kiyonaga introduced Roger Beckett and advised that Roger had taken photographs at the Forum, which were circulated to committee members. She also advised that Roger advised he was in attendance this evening to discuss creating a Web Site for the Race Relations and Equity Committee to use on the Durham Free Net. Distribution of Brochure Steve Reynolds advised that copies of the Brochure had been distributed to all Town Facilities, Libraries and Community Page. The Town Manager's had copies distributed with a letter to all the Town of Pickering staff. The Durham Region Police Services were given 500 copies. 3 Roland Rutland advised he had distributed copies at a Workshop he was in attendance at the McLean Community Centre in Ajax. Olivia Rose feels it would be a good idea to have the Brochures in schools. Jane Kiyonaga advised that copies of the brochure had been forwarded to Senior Administration staff in the Separate School Board and asked to distribute randomly. Mayor Arthurs stated that copies should be distributed to the Board of Trade and John Weirsma at Pickering Hydro. Donna Bovolaneas advised that she will speaking to a group of children at her son's school and would be distributing copies of the Brochure. Roland Rutland advised that he had enlarged a copy of the Brochure and displayed in the school. Since brochure is available in Libraries we should look at an institutional approach to distribution. MOTION: Moved by: Roland Rutland Seconded by: Abou Nabe That the Committee proceed with an institutional approach to distribute Brochures. Carried 3. Business Arising from Previous Minutes Youth Representation from the Durham Board of Education Roland Rutland advised that there was a student from Pine Ridge Secondary who was interested in joining the Committee. He will follow up with Jack Gardener to find out if a student had been appointed. Board of Trade Representation The Committee requested a formal invitation be sent to Lesley White, Ajax/Pickering Board of Trade to attend a Committee Meeting and to find out what our committee is doing in the community. 4 Gord McKechnie suggested that the Board of Trade should be an active participant on the committee. 4. New Business Roland Rutland feels that we should have a Speaker Forum and suggested that we ask people from different groups to present at workshops hosted by the Committee. Steve Reynolds indicated that at times groups require to have access to a speaker from the Race Relations and Equity Committee. Donna Bovolaneas stated that the proposed workshops Roland Rutland had suggested should take place in the Fall. Further discussion continued with regards to the setting up and timing of a Workshop. The consensus of committee members was to wait until the Fall to proceed with this workshop. Developing A Database (Demographics, Incidents, etc.) Tabled to next meeting. Durham Free Net(Presentation by Roger Beckett) Roger Beckett is willing to design a Web Site for the Committee to have use of the Durham Free Net and explained to members of the committee exactly what this would do for the Race Relations and Equity Committee as the information would be shared by approximately 40 million people world wide. This program is free. Roger then demonstrated to members of the committee how this could be done. Various questions arose during the presentation. Steve Reynolds advised that it was his intention was to bring this information forward to the Corporation to receive approval to proceed. He feels very positive about this program. 5. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on Tuesday May 21, 1996 - Pickering Civic Complex. 6. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.