From George Floyd’s death and the ensuing protests in the U.S. and Canada, to Guelph Pride moving its festival online, here is what we saw in the news this week.
Justice for George Floyd: Protests across America
On May 25, police were called to a Cup Foods grocery store in Minneapolis where a man allegedly tried to pay with counterfeit money. The man’s name was George Floyd.
Officer Derek Chauvin arrived on the scene where he proceeded to arrest Floyd, bringing him to the ground and pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes. This act cut off Floyd’s air supply, and he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Throughout this incident Floyd repeatedly stated that he couldn’t breathe.
What followed was a massive wave of protests across the United States, condemning police brutality and anti-Black racism.
Since the protests, Chauvin has been fired and charged with 2nd degree murder.
The other three officers who were also on the scene have been fired and have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
The protests and charges have brought to light countless instances of police brutality with no repercussions.
Another recent instance involves Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency technician who was shot in her home during a “no-knock” search warrant in Louisville, KY.
Canada has organized its own protests, in cities such as Montreal, Calgary, and Toronto.
Justice for George Floyd: Protests across Canada
Black Lives Matter protests are happening all across Canada. With protests happening in major cities like Montreal, Calgary, and Toronto, smaller cities are also standing up to show their solidarity with the movement.
Kitchener and Guelph have joined in solidarity protests.
Canadian protestors march in solidarity for George Floyd, but also for local Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) whose lives have been lost due to racialized violence.
Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old Toronto woman, recently fell from the 24-storey balcony of her family’s apartment during a 911 call. Korchinski-Paquet’s family worries her death was race-related.
Thousands gathered in Toronto on May 30 protesting her death, and the deaths of other unarmed black people caused by police officers.
“It is a time to pull people together, but it is a time to listen, to learn what injustices continue despite progress over years and decades, “ said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a conference.
“It is a time for us, as Canadians, to recognize that we, too, have our challenges,” Trudeau continued, “That black Canadians and racialized Canadians face discrimination as a lived reality every single day. There is systemic descrimination in Canada… it is something that many of us don’t see, but it is something that is a lived reality for racialized Canadians.”
The University of Guelph and Franco Vaccarino, president of the University, have both released statements of solidarity, condemning anti-Black racism and expressing their beliefs in inclusion, diversity, respect, safety, and human rights.
Emergency orders extended to June 30
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the province as Ontario has announced that the Declaration of Emergency has been extended to June 30.
“Extending the provincial Declaration of Emergency will allow us to safely and gradually reopen the province, while we continue to use every resource at our disposal to battle this deadly virus,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.
Current emergency orders include limiting staff to working at either a long-term care home or a retirement home, ensuring necessary goods are priced fairly, allowing the redeployment of staff by frontline care providers to areas of need, and measures to ensure proper case management and contact tracing such as the hiring of new staff.
“We are not out of the woods just yet, so it is critical that we exercise caution to keep everyone safe, including protecting our most vulnerable citizens in long-term care homes, retirement homes and group homes,” Ford said.
The province is currently in phase one of reopening, with street-side stores and seasonal gardening centres open for business under strict health guidelines.
The Ontario government has stated that they will make further reopening decisions based on COVID-19 trends and science.
June is National Indigenous History Month
For Canadians, June is the month to acknowledge and honour the history, heritage, and diversity of Indigenous peoples all across Canada.
Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford announced the celebration on June 1.
Despite social restrictions due to COVID-19, Rickford said events would still take place, but in an alternate format.
“Although we cannot gather in person this year to mark this important occasion, there are many opportunities to participate in virtual events taking place throughout the month and I encourage everyone to take part,” said Rickford.
On June 1 the Ontario government also announced the establishment and details of a new Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council which will “provide culturally-relevant advice on violence prevention,” as stated in a news release.
The Council will meet twice a year and will consist of approximately 11 First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and LGBTQ2S leaders and experts in violence prevention. The Council will also receive the guidance and support of an Elder/Traditional Knowledge Keeper.
Ontario’s response to the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls will be addressed by the Council, along with issues such as human trafficking, and child, youth and family healing and wellbeing.
For more information on the new Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council, or National Indigenous History month, read here.
Guelph Pride events go online
With the Declaration of Emergency not allowing social gatherings of more than five people from different households, many in-person Guelph events have been cancelled, including Guelph Pride.
However, from June 1 to June 7 Guelph Pride will be taking the celebration online through a virtual Pride festival, according to Guelph Today.
“We came together to hammer out a pretty full festival, which I am really proud of,” Organizer Odesia Howlett told Guelph Today.
“We were in connection with tri-Pride and Toronto Pride… a lot of it was taking the events that people know and love and popping it on the screen.”
Guelph Pride’s virtual offerings include fitness classes, drag makeup tutorials, a Netflix party, and a mental health workshop.
Guelph Pride also has a list of other events going on throughout Pride month as posted on their website.
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