Yvonne Peters: "Racialized Communities and Police Services"

Wed. Mar. 4 12:30 PM - Wed. Mar. 4 01:30 PM
Contact: Kevin Walby 204-786-9105 k.walby@uwinnipeg.ca
Location: 3D01, University of Winnipeg

This presentation examines the Racial Communities and Police Services (RCAPS) Project (2005-2012). The project began in June 2005, when representatives of a neighbourhood safety committee brought their concerns about policing in their area to the Manitoba Human Rights Commission's attention. They believed that there was racial profiling on the basis of Aboriginal ancestry in the provision of police services to area residents. They did not want to file a human rights complaint at that time, but asked the Commission to look into their concerns. In July 2005, the Commission met with faculty members of the University of Winnipeg to discuss a possible research project to examine the ocncerns raised by the neighboorhood safety committee.

Yvonne Peters is the Chairperson of the Manitoba Human Rights Board of Commissioners. She has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Saskatchewan and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Regina. She practices equality rights law in Winnipeg, providing legal consultation and advice and she served as the Vice-Chair of the Accessibility Advisory Council appointed by the Honourable Jennifer Howard, Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities. Her community work includes serving as a council member of the Manitoba Bar Association, as a member of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities’ Human Rights Committee and as a board member of the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Ms. Peters is honoured as a champion of human rights in Canada at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.