Sam Akinsanya
Racially Visible Persons Rep
Prairie Region Council February 2015
National Human Rights Committee
Telephone Conference Call, December 11, 2014
Participants on the teleconference include: all RVPs representative from all the PSAC seven regions across the country. In addition, in attendance was Seema Lama, the PSAC National office RVPs representative as well as representative from the National training section – Terri-Lee Rayvales.
Brief Summary of Meeting:
The teleconference was a follow up to the discussion that took place at the NHRC conference in Ottawa on November 3 and 4th 2014. At the conference, the RVPs’ WG came up with four major priorities of immediate concern.
1. Educational Workshop Plan;
2. 2015 Federal Elections;
3. Communication Strategy to Build Our Network;
4. Other Agenda Requiring Input from the WG.
This Teleconference only addressed the first priority of Educational Workshop Plan due to time restriction.
We had discussion on how we could develop and deliver the workshops in the regions. There was a lot of discussion on how it would be funded and who would be delivering the training.
Actions:
Seema & Terri:
- Gather materials already available to the PSAC on the topics for review by the WG.
- To review WG priorities with the PSAC Regional Education Team in the New Year via teleconference.
- Set up another teleconference to further discuss :
Review materials that have been gathered;
Setting up a small reference group to develop workshop
Determine clear objective for the workshop, including length etc.
Determine process of feedback from the WG;
Determine time lines for distribution.
WG Members:
- We examine how the course could be delivered in the respective regions (i.e. speak with their regional educational officer, Regional education committee members and the REVP etc. regarding the process for funding).
- “Gather materials and workshops already developed in the regions on this topic and distribute them to each other”.
The rest of the priorities were postponed for future discussions at a future teleconference to be scheduled by the National representative for the REVPs.
November 21 – 23, 2014.
Attended the activist school in Calgary.
November 22, 2014.
Attended the appreciation day for all the volunteers for the past year especially those that helped out at the Global Fest.
January 10th 2015.
Participated at the joint session of the Calgary committees involving the HRC, ACC and the RWC. The purpose of the session was to discuss and mapped out the different activities plans for the year 2015.
January 30 – 31, 2015.
Attended the Leading Change Training in Winnipeg.
More recently and as a result of the activities mapping that took place on January 10, 2015, I have approached the Latino community regarding their annual festival in Calgary that takes place at the Olympic Plaza in Calgary. The purpose of approaching the community was to explore the possibility of setting up a PSAC tenth booth like we do at the Global Fest and try to connect with the attendees. I have been told that the total attendance for the three day activity ranges from 40,000 to about 60, 000. It is my expectation that this would be done as an HRC event but with specific leadership from the RVPs group.
I have been provided with registration form but I needed to speak with certain people before I know whether or not it’s going to be feasible. Stay tune for additional information and updates.In Solidarity
Sam Akinsanya