Re: Racial Hatred in London Ontairo

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-muslim-family-attack-funeral-advancer-1.6062098

The South Vancouver Seniors Hub Council is appalled by the targeted killing of the Afzaal family on June 6 in London, Ontario. We condemn that senseless act.
This crime was racially motivated and was a crime of hate. It is not acceptable and we condemn any and all such behaviours.
The Muslim community is grieving the senseless loss of the members of the Afzaal family and wonder if it is safe for any Muslim to leave their homes. The citizens of London, Ontario and the rest of Canada are grieving with them.
Everyone is checking their own conscience.

What can we do?

  • Check our own thoughts and actions.
  • Welcome newcomers to your neighborhood.
  • Any time you see anyone new in your neighbourhood, greet them and welcome them into your community.
  • If you observe any one being abused and want to react in an assertive manner… (check this link)
  • If you are a victim of an act of racism or hatred (or are supporting a victim), please call 9-1-1 to report the incident.
    • When reporting an incident, state that you are reporting a Hate Crime (emergencies such as attacks, assaults and threats).
    • For non-emergency crimes such as graffiti, vandalism and hate propaganda, the operator will connect you to the appropriate detachment to handle the situation.
    • There is no fee when calling 9-1-1 for either emergency or non-emergency situations.
  • If you are a victim of a hate crime, or have witnessed a hate crime, help is available through victim services and other resources.
    • Contact Vancouver Police Hate Crime Unit Det. / Cst. Jacquie Abbott of the Hate Crimes Unit can be reached at 604-717-9993 or jacquie.abbott@vpd.ca.
    • Speak to a Victim Service Worker by calling VictimLink BC at 1-800-563-0808 (confidential and multilingual)
    • Contact Police Based Victims Services by calling 1-877-869-0720.
    • Contact the Youth Against Violence Line at 1-800-680-4264 (confidential and multilingual)

Please join us in calling out this horrific act. Think how you would act yourself if you were exposed to something like this. Think about what we all can do to prevent this from happening in the future.

South Vancouver Seniors Hub Council

Re: Remains of 215 children found buried at former B.C. residential school

It is with great sadness that we learned of the remains of 215 children found on the grounds of the Kamloops Residential School.  We understand the grief and pain affecting the First Nations people of Turtle Island.  We grieve with them.

The children were buried in graves that were unmarked and unknown. Their families were not allowed to give their children a proper burial if they were notified at all.

Residential schools were established by the Canadian government in the 1880s and run by religious orders and churches.  The Kamloops school was run by the Roman Catholic Church until 1969.

The discovery of the children’s bodies may shock many Canadians but it is not a surprise to Indigenous people.  This has been known and was reported to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) by the survivors of residential schools.  The TRC issued a report 5 years ago detailing the harsh treatment inflicted on Indigenous children at residential schools where it is estimated 3,200 children died of illness, abuse and neglect.                                                                                          

Apologies are not enough.

We cannot allow this systemic racism to ever happen again. 

Seniors Hub Council