This is an interesting story. Accordingly, “the court support program will share $250,000 in provincial funding with two other programs designed to support women of colour.” Alberta cabinet minister Rajan Sawhney, MLA for Calgary-North East, earmarked the funding for the program just weeks before her daughter was allegedly grabbed, pushed, sworn at and chased down a downtown Calgary sidewalk in June.
There are a number of ways to address hate crimes, including:
- Strong laws and enforcement: Having strong laws in place that specifically address hate crimes and ensuring that these laws are vigorously enforced can help to deter hate crimes and hold perpetrators accountable.
- Community education and outreach: Educating communities about hate crimes and the harm they cause can help to create a culture of tolerance and understanding. Outreach programs that bring different groups together can also help to build bridges and promote mutual understanding.
- Support for victims: Providing support services for victims of hate crimes, such as counselling and legal assistance, can help to mitigate the impact of the crime and promote healing.
- Tracking and data collection: Tracking and collecting data on hate crimes can help to identify patterns and trends and inform the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies.
- Collaboration: Collaborating with community organisations, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders can help to build a coordinated and effective response to hate crimes.
- Activism and advocacy: Activism and advocacy can help to raise awareness about hate crimes and push for change at the community, local, state, and national level.
- Reviewing and revising policies: Reviewing and revising policies, such as school policies, workplace policies, and community policies can help to ensure that the community is safe, inclusive and equitable.
Calgary has devoted resources to preventing hate. Calgary has also invest in research and updating hate crime legislation. It’s important to remember that addressing hate crimes is a multifaceted issue and it requires the involvement of different actors and sectors to be effective. The most effective strategies will likely involve a combination of different approaches tailored to the specific needs of the community. Lots of lessons for other provinces to learn and implement.
