CALGARY – Police were out in force in downtown Calgary on Saturday as residents converged for the annual anti-racism rally.
But, this year there was none of the heated confrontations of years past. The most prominent members of the city’s white supremacist community are serving time and that’s why organizers have dubbed Saturday’s rally, a “celebration”.
“There’s no Neo –Nazi organizing going on right now; which is a good thing,” says Jason Devine, one of the organizers of this weekend’s rally. “But does institutional racism still exist? It does, unfortunately.”
Still, while police agree the white supremacist movement has dropped off in recent years, rally organizers say that can quickly change. They say rallies are an effective way to draw attention to racism’s relatives; issues like bullying, intolerance and prejudice.
“Those things have not gone away. We have gotten much better overall, I believe, as human beings. However we still have a ways to go,” explains Wendy Walker, a member of the Idle No More movement.
Calgary’s Mayor Naheed Nenshi was also at the rally and spoke of the city’s role as a global leader:
“What defines Calgarians is the generous sharing of opportunity; that we really do say that every kid growing up in every corner of the city, regardless of what they look like or their background, or what they choose to worship, deserves the change to live a great life,” he explains.
“I don’t understand why the rest of the world hasn’t figured out this simple truth. But, it is an important part of our success.”
Mayor Nenshi says the city should be a role model for the rest of the world, when it comes to acceptance and diversity.
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