The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan has been raising
awareness and opportunity since 1975.
We were created by representatives of six regional multicultural
councils. The desire was to develop a provincial lobby group, a non profit,
non-governmental agency that would ensure cross cultural survival, strength and
prominence.
Many ethnic and educational groups have since joined the
cause. At present, the council proudly represents 35 member organizations which
include thousands of volunteers committed to culture.
The council is governed by an elected board of directors
representing member organizations. The volunteers contribute valuable resources
- time, energy and enthusiasm.
The directors serve as cultural ambassadors in all areas of
the province. The wisdom of the directors complements the dedication of staff
to achieve and advance interculturalism and
demonstrate the provincial motto: From Many Peoples Strength.
Our Objectives
To promote
recognition of cultural diversity in Saskatchewan
and assist the development and acceptance of multiculturalism;
To
recognize and promote Canada's
official languages within the province
of Saskatchewan and assist
in the development of multilingualism;
To promote
understanding and acceptance of others through the appreciation of cultures
which make up the multicultural reality of the province of Saskatchewan;
To
recognize that the presence of different cultural (linguistic, spiritual, and ethnocultural) groups in Saskatchewan provides a benefit to our
provincial economy
To foster
an environment in which volunteer organizations and individuals can contribute
to the multicultural development of Saskatchewan;
To
recognize and enhance the contributions of different cultural groups in Saskatchewan so that
present and future generations can benefit from their diversity and richness;
To promote
positive cross-cultural relations through cross-cultural communication, contact
and understanding;
To
recognize the special contribution which refugees and immigrants bring into our
province and assist the integration process which must occur;
To promote
community education of the issues of multiculturalism;
To provide
financial assistance to individuals and groups to resolve multicultural issues;
To
promote, initiate, develop and assist the development of regional and/or local
multicultural councils;
To promote interrelated activities with similar national and
provincial organizations.
Organizational
History:
The
Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan (MCoS) was
founded in Regina
on Nov. 22, 1975.
MCoS was incorporated under
the provincial Non-Profit Organizations Act in 1976 and registered as a charity
with Revenue of Canada. We focused on folk arts, heritage and languages until
1984.
In
1980 we produced the Prairie Lily
Folk Ballet .
In
1982 we produced the Harmony I and
II (TV series).
In 1983 we developed Heritage Languages and Multicultural Education Bibliographies.
MCoS organized Focus 84-a national folk arts production
seminar on Caring for our Past.
In 1985, MCoS changed its focus to youth,
cross-cultural relations, immigration and multicultural health. Public
education, member development and lobbying government were identified as
priorities. Our first youth conference was held and we were invited to present
to the Parliamentary Standing committee on Multiculturalism.
Policing
Multicultural Saskatchewan was the
focus of our 1986 provincial workshop.
The Member
funding program was initiated in 1987.
MCoS
and its members presented briefs to the Task Force on Multiculturalism in 1988.
MCoS sponsored the production of the New Immigrant Series and the Dream
Seekers which aired on CBC 1989 and 1990.
A provincial
Youth Wing was established in March, 1991.
The
multicolored bow was launched as a symbol for the International Day for the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 1992.
The
first ever Multicultural Health Conference was held in Regina in 1994.
MCoS hosted the Canadian Multicultural Health Conference in
Regina in 1995.
MCoS revitalized its communications department: Faces
magazine, Cultural Crossings newsletter and Check-up on Multicultural Health
were posted on the internet. The MCoS youth program
was redesigned to become more accessible to youth across the province of Saskatchewan.
In 1999, MCoS partnered with Bnai Brith Canada
and several other organizations to present a national conference entitled Human Rights: From issues to Action. The
conference highlighted issues facing Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and
immigrant women as well as human rights in education and work-place issues and
challenges facing the justice system. Canadian Heritage was a major sponsor. We sponsored the celebration of Black
History Month creating the original poster HOPE to advance the campaign. MCoS sponsored an innovative workshop on video production
and racism to encourage youth to participate in the Canadian Heritage Racism.
Stop it! National Video competition. The satellite
workshop was telecasted in 36 Saskatchewan
communities. About 80 high school students participated. MCoS
made a presentation to the Prime Ministerial caucus task force on the four
western provinces. After years of advocacy by MCoS,
the Multicultural Initiatives Fund was implemented by SaskCulture.
In 2000, MCoS secured Canadian Heritage funding to conduct a community needs
assessment of its members to evaluate their programs and services. The first
Future Search workshop was held in Moose
Jaw and focused on ways of strengthening member
organization needs in areas of funding and planning. About 145 people from MCoS member groups participated. A follow-up session on future
search workshop was held in Regina. MCoS celebrated 25th
anniversary and honoured its past presidents.
In 2001, MCoS launched a series of 30 second public service announcements that
highlight little known historical, cultural facts and achievements of Black
residents in Saskatchewan
.The event was covered by CBC, Global Regina, the Leader-Post and CJME Newstalk 1300. A new Black History Month poster titled Perseverance was created. We organized Saskatchewan
consultations on racism in Waskesiu. 110 delegates
drafted policy recommendations on racism for the Canadian presentation at the Unitied Nations World Conference Against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. MCoS organized a luncheon to declare its opposition and
condemnation of the September 11 terrorist attack in the US. It also
stated the attacks have nothing do to with any religion. Hon. Lynda Haverstock
attended the luncheon with 44 other people representing political, police,
education, business and religious leaders in the community. MCoS
advertised in the LeaderPost and Star Phoenix asked Saskatchewan people not
to retaliate against those of the Muslim faith in light of September 11.
In 2002, MCoS held its first Logic frames workshop in Moose Jaw, June 16-18. Canadian Heritage
funded the strategic planning workshop. Thirty participants from four volunteer
organizations attended. MCoS organized and invited
local cultural community groups to meet with Hon. Denis Coderre,
then minister of Immigration, in Regina
on September 10, 2002. The minister gave briefings on the new immigration plans
and policies. MCoS and the Ukrainian Canadian
Congress-Saskatchewan Provincial Council hosted two youth consultations in Regina to launch the
first of three phases of Youth Action Now. The consultations, funded by
Canadian Heritage, were designed to develop innovative ideas for the youth
forums in addition to project measures for reviewing outcomes and results over
the next three years. Part three involved the implementation of the Youth
Action Now plans. MCoS supported community projects
such as the Black History Month celebration in February. A banquet which
rounded off the events of the month was attended by the Hon. Jean Augustine,
federal Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women and the
provincial dignitaries.
In 2003, MCoS
hosted then UN Special Rapporteur Doudou
Diene. The rapporteur had round
table consultations with Aboriginal Elders, chiefs and community workers from
across western Canada.
MCoS invited and partly sponsored member councils to
attend a conference on Ethnicity in Banff,
October 2-5, 2003. Topics discussed included the impact of Sept. 11 on Canadian
society, racism, indigenous people, multiculturalism and youth and ethnicity.
Participants visited the site of the Castle Mountain Internment Camp where
Ukrainian-Canadians were held during the First World War. MCoS
signed an agreement with SaskCulture to serve as
Secretariat of the Multicultural Community of Interest committee. MCoS facilitated Canadian Heritage initiative for a
multicultural memorandum of understanding as well as national diversity in
sport discussions. We supported the Afculen musical
group in the recording of a cd and participated in an
Immigration Canada focus group discussion. Through our national secretariat the
Multicultural Council of Canada we raised the profile of multiculturalism at
the corporate level when it recognized Hbc stores in Regina, Toronto, Halifax and Richmond
for their interfaith holiday campaign.
In 2004, MCoS chaired the Saskatchewan
Committee for the Elimination of Racism in Sport and Recreation which developed
a guide book for Working, Living and Playing Together. The guide was endorsed
by the 2005 Canada Summer Games. MCoS was
instrumental in the development of Youth Action Now (YAN) project funded by
Canadian Heritage. The project focus was to engage youth of various ethnic
backgrounds to combat racism. There were 12 forums in 2004. MCoS
teamed up with Regina’s Mackenzie Art
Gallery to celebrate
Multiculturalism Day, June 27, 2004. World beat fusion instrumental musicians
performed in the lobby of the gallery while craft and dance lessons were
provided in the learning centre. MCoS sponsored
various activities of the Regina Multifaith Forum. A
highlight was the public forums at the Mackenzie Art
Gallery in November. MCoS designed the event programs. MCoS continued its corporate diversity
campaign by organizing a Multicultural Mela at Sears
in the Regina Cornwall
Center on April 3, 2004 to highlight
the Postcard collection and Passage to India contest. MCoS
coordinated various meetings for the SaskCulture
Multicultural Community of Interest committee to craft the definition of
multiculturalism. MCoS, in collaboration with
Canadian Heritage, SaskCulture,
Saskatchewan Culture, Youth and Recreation and
Saskatchewan Immigration Branch, drafted a Memorandum of Understanding to
provide continuity between the multicultural community and the provincial and
Federal governments in support of multiculturalism in Saskatchewan.
To celebrate the Saskatchewan Centennial in
2005, MCoS co-ordinated the
Canada Celebrates Saskatchewan Community Workshops in Regina,
Saskatoon and Prince Albert in January. These
workshops led to the development of a federal centennial funding program. MCoS also coordinated a strategic planning
workshop for the SaskCulture Multicultural Community
of Interest Committee held in Moose
Jaw in February. MCoS, in
conjunction with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Saskatchewan Provincial
Council, hosted six Youth Action Now forums followed by the Gathering in Regina in April. We
coordinated many of the cultural components for the Gathering, including the
Elder blessing, workshop presentations and interfaith prayers. We organized a
multidisciplinary Celebrate Canada!
Multicultural Mela at the Mackenzie Art Gallery in
June, 2005 commemorating St. Jean Baptiste Day,
National Aboriginal Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day. The
event included art exhibits, musical showcases, cultural dance classes, cultural
craft classes and the film screening of Elder Honour
Videos. MCoS also coordinated the Diversity
Ambassador Program for the Canada Summer Games resulting in 100 engagements for
diversity ambassadors and Games representatives. MCoS
crafted and edited sections of the volunteer manual for the Games. MCoS also edited the Working, Living and Playing Together
manual. We also coordinated the intercultural entertainment for the federal Sport
Minister Reception August 5 featuring the World Beat Fusion Free Range Band, a
Lion Dance, a Bhangra Dance, a Ukrainian dance and a
Round Dance. On the national stage, MCoS, with the
support of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Centennial Initiative of Canadian Heritage,
showcased a diverse group of emerging and established performing artists in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
In 2006, MCoS coordinated two community consultations on
future directions for multiculturalism in its role as Secretariat SaskCulture Multicultural Community of Interest Committee.
The consultation in Regina
Nov. 18, 2006 promoted Saskatchewan Multicultural Week,
attracted 100 delegates from across the province, brought together dignitaries,
government, community, media, youth and other stakeholders in open dialogue. MCoS organized a multidisciplinary Celebrate Canada!
Multicultural Mela at the Mackenzie Art Gallery in
June, 2006 commemorating St. Jean Baptiste Day,
National Aboriginal Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day. The
event included art exhibits, musical showcases, cultural dance classes,
cultural craft classes and the screenings of award-winning multicultural films.
MCoS supported the multicultural award at the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival and the Emerging
Filmmakers youth workshops. MCoS promoted Asian
Heritage Month, Multiculturalism Day, Multiculturalism Week, Black History
Month, March 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
and other diversity campaigns. We supported school-based multicultural
education initiatives around the province with 5,000 in total funding awarded.
We also helped present a film workshop in Regina
with a presenter from the National Film Board. MCoS
organized and presented a planning retreat in Lumsden
to outline strategic directions to innovate and revitalize the organization.
In 2007, MCoS created a site on Facebook
attracting new membership. We served as Secretariat in the development of the
EMCY Awards for Excellence in Multiculturalism which engaged new partners such
as Conexus Arts Centre and Global TV as well as many
individuals committed to the cause of promoting diversity as the economic
engine of Canada.
MCOS developed and proposed changes to its constitution to attract new
membership. We met with government and civic leaders in promoting the
development of a multicultural monument at the Saskatchewan legislature which would serve
as an educational tool for promotion of the provincial multicultural histories,
the Saskatchewan Multicultural Act and the Saskatchewan Motto: From Many
Peoples Strength. We continued to serve as Secretariat of the SaskCulture Multicultural Community of Interest Committee
which worked on the development of the 2008 SaskCulture
diversity gathering with the SaskCulture First
Nations and Metis
Advisory Circle. The March 21 campaign was co-ordinated by MCoS and the
development of the Peace by Piece Diversity Quilt was one of the highlights. The
quilt, developed by students at F.W. Johnson Collegiate, travelled to
a variety of venues to promote diversity with the support of MCoS. The Celebrate Canada! Multicultural Mela at the Mackenzie
Art Gallery
in Regina attracted
new partners as Regina Immigrant Women Centre worked with MCoS
to present multicultural dance workshops and multicultural fusion music. Traditional
beading was also a highlight of this initiative, which was free and open to the
public with a focus on engaging children in the learning centre.