Winnipeg to launch website seeking ideas on eliminating racism

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman says he wantsideas on how to eliminate racism in the city, and he's setting up a website where people can submittheir thoughts.

Bowman says 1Winnipeg.ca, whichwill be launched in the near future,will offer a way to open upa publicconversation about racism and look at ways of dealing with the issue.

"Regardless if you're indigenous or not, this affects all of us as a community," he told Marcy Markusa of CBC's Information RadioTuesday from Connie's Corner Cafe in Winnipeg's North End.

"So what I want is I want people to reach out to us through the website and let us know how they think we can improve things collaboratively."

Bowman and Point Douglas NDP MLA Kevin Chief, who is also Manitoba's minister of jobs and economy, were responding to an article by Maclean's magazine last week claiming thatCanada's race issues were at their worst in Winnipeg.

• Maclean's claim that Winnipeg is Canada's most racist city upsets mayor
• VIDEO |Rosanna Deerchild reacts to Maclean's racism article after appearing on cover
• Winnipeggers react to Maclean's claim that the city is racist

Chief applauds the 1Winnipeg.ca initiative, saying it's a concrete way for people to share ideas about ending racism.

"It is coming from a very personal, sincere place which leads to, you know, common goals and people trying to build understanding from many different backgrounds, which then leads to often an ability to work together and co-operate and move forward," he said.

At the same time,Chief said since the Maclean'sstorycame out on Thursday, people have been having their own discussions about racism in schools and in homes.

"They're happening in classrooms all throughout Winnipeg right now and all throughout Manitoba, probably the country. Teachers are taking the time to look at this. They're happening at the kitchen table. That is what's so remarkable about Winnipeg's response to the Maclean's article," he said.

Bowman said he wants people to reach out to the city through the 1Winnipeg.ca website and work together in dealing with a complex and historical issue.

"I'll be listening and I'll be receptive and we'll be working with a lot of the leaders that were at city hall, Minister Chief and others," he said.

The mayor added, "Premier [Greg] Selinger called me the day after to see how he could help and how the provincial government could help."

Is the tide starting to shift?

Meanwhile, manyWinnipeggerssay they have noticed a tide shift in the discourse on racism in the days after the Maclean'smagazine article was published.

Besides the change indiscourse, some are also beginning to notice changes in casual interactions with strangers on the street.

Cree poet and storyteller Duncan Mercredi noticed something different something that surprised him after the Maclean's articlehit stands.

"Having people (whiter shade of pale) acknowledge me with a smile or hello, a good morning, especially these last couple of days, is starting to get kind of freaky,"Mercrediwrote in a Facebook post days after the story came out.

"It just happened again on my walk to the corner store, a good morning from a stranger. I looked behind me to see if it was me he was talking to and by hayzus, he was. I grunted back at him. It's going to take awhile getting used to this new world order."

Mercredisaid hes experienced people avoiding him on the streets or even firing off racial slurs in his direction. Now,Mercredi said with the topic of racism on peoples minds, their hearts seem to have opened up.

Chantal Kuegle, who is of both aboriginal and European ancestry, said she believes perceptions and the conversation on racismare starting to change.

"I think overall the conversation is more acceptedas something that needs to be done and action needs to be taken," said Kuegle.

"I do notice if I wear aboriginal beaded earrings and have a little bit more visual aspects of my race portrayed, then I just get a little bitnot as polite treated by employees or just on the street.

"Or when I'm with my grandpa who is clearly very aboriginal, it's a little different than being out with my dad, who's German."