City briefs

#EmbraceEquity this March

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, held on March 8, recognizes that equal opportunities aren’t enough. Instead, the official IWD organization asks people to #EmbraceEquity, recognize people’s intersectional identities and work to remove barriers that prevent people from accessing certain jobs, experiences, opportunities and treatment.

Preventing sexual violence on campus

On Wednesday, March 8 from 12:30 to 1 p.m., the University of Winnipeg will host a webinar about consent and healthy relationships through Zoom. Hema Krueger Vyas, the campus’ human-rights and sexual-violence advisor, will speak about consent, sexual violence, witnessing and responding to disclosures and specific policies at the U of W.

Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike

Fridays for Future Manitoba is hosting a global climate action strike on March 3 from noon to 1 p.m. The entire event will take place on the north steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building, and there will not be a march through downtown. Fridays for Future Manitoba is calling on governments and companies to limit global warming to 1.5ºC and promote Indigenous solidarity.

Wesmen off to national championships

It’s been almost 30 years since the University of Winnipeg Wesmen men’s basketball team last qualified for the national championship. The Wesmen advanced to the USports Final 8 with a 73-70 win over the University of Manitoba Bisons on Feb. 25. The U of W will play the Victoria Vikes on March 3 for the Canada West championship. The Final 8 playoffs take place in Halifax from March 10 to 12.

Affordable housing suites ready

On March 1, the Manitoba Métis Federation started moving Métis citizens experiencing houselessness into a newly refurbished 20-unit residential facility on 670 Main St. The three-story building offers affordable housing and services to support mental-health needs, addiction issues and rooms for cultural and spiritual practices. A 2018 census revealed that there are approximately 234 Métis people experiencing houselessness in Winnipeg – a rate that has likely worsened throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community schools programing under review

The Province is reviewing its breakfast and lunch programs, developing an anti-racism policy and increasing the number of community schools, which address the effects of poverty on student learning. The provincial government has budgeted $595,000 to provide five more schools with the programming, increasing the total number of community schools to 41 provincewide. These recommendations come from the final report of the poverty and education task force, which researches barriers to accessing food, technology and transportation.

Published in Volume 77, Number 20 of The Uniter (March 2, 2023)

Related Reads