The true spirit of the games

Standing up for human rights violations

Greg McVicker, Volunteer Staff

Last week, the Social Work Students’ Association learned that a human rights torch relay is underway, addressing that the upcoming Olympic Games and crimes against humanity cannot coexist in China. However, such crimes have been ongoing for years. Little has been done to combat this epidemic. The last time Canada held the Winter Olympics was in 1988, while residential schools were still in existence. The last residential school closed in 1996, merely 12 years ago.

I would like to re-affirm the savagery that occurred within these torture chambers. Many aboriginal children were beaten to death. Others were scrubbed in bleach baths, slapped for speaking traditional languages or had maggots mixed into their meals. Thousands of children were raped. Nuns birthed children borne of aboriginal boys. The newborns were placed in blankets and dropped upon fires to dispose of the evidence. Aboriginal females, raped by priests, had their babies confiscated, placed in shoeboxes and left to die within the schools.

As such, human rights violations continue to plague this country. Recently released commentary by two Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative politicians, parliamentary secretary to the government House leader Tom Lukiwski and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, accentuates this. In 1991, Lukiwski stated “There’s A’s and there’s B’s. The A’s are guys like me, the B’s are homosexual faggots with dirt on their fingernails that transmit diseases,” according to the Regina Leader-Post.

Wall utilized a Ukrainian accent, making comments about Saskatchewan NDP Opposition leader Roy Romanow. Although both publicly apologized, it is felt this frees them from further accountability. House leader Peter Van Loan stated, “We welcome that quick and unequivocal apology and consider the matter is now closed.” This is sickening because it creates double standards in that our elected officials are above the law!

In the March 12 edition of the Manitoban, I spoke about the killing of a Grade 8 student in Illinois. The boy was gunned down in cold blood for being openly gay. I find this troubling as his killing correlates with Lukiwski’s views. Individuals who identify with the LGBTT community are constantly targeted through hate-crime propaganda and disparaging commentary, which is seemingly upheld by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. A spokesperson from the PM’s office stated that Lukiwski would not be removed from caucus in light of his comments. However, our neighbours to the south removed Elliott Spitzer as an elected official, as he solicited sex-trade workers while in power. So why do we then accept differing standards in this country, when those in power abuse those who are marginalized?

In the article “Taking A Stand” (Jan. 16), I documented the killing of 14 female engineering students in Montreal in 1989, who challenged societal norms in that jobs such as engineering need not only be held by males. Further to this, In the “Name of Survival” (Feb. 27), I disclosed that a homeless person was shot repeatedly with a paintball gun while trying to find food scraps from a rubbish bin. I dare ask if our elected officials feel women or homeless people deserve such treatment.

“And We Call Ourselves Human?” (Feb. 13) spoke about inhumane standards imposed upon aboriginal people within Canada. Reserves communities are met with inflated food costs, dilapidated housing, tainted water and poverty to name just a few. Milk can cost over $12 in isolated communities. The reason attributed to this is that transportation costs increase the price; yet alcohol pricing is consistent regardless of location. People from reserves can access alcohol but struggle to find social services, health care and other crucial amenities.

“Rethinking the Sexual Exploitation of Youth” (March 26) addressed over 400 children are exploited within Winnipeg’s sex-trade industry. Estimates suggest that 70 to 80 per cent of these children are aboriginal, while some are as young as age eight. According to experiential children, acts of oral, vaginal and anal sex are offered for as low as $15.

Human rights violations in Canada are horrendous. Although a torch may have been lit to address that the Olympic Games and crimes against humanity cannot coexist in China, we have to go much further than this. I suggest a human rights torch be placed within every province and territory across Canada: to remind us of our duty to challenge human rights violations. Each day, a candle should be lit to mark the memories of those children, women and men who have met with uncertain fate or death through residential schools, murder and the sex trade. If we work together, we can achieve success. As a team, we can share our moment of glory. Collectively and regardless of our disposition in life, it is up to each and every one of us, as humans, to challenge human rights violations in every form, and not specifically for the Olympic Games.

Greg McVicker is a fourth-year undergraduate social work student.