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Archive for August, 2012

Asian-Looking Woman Rejected for New $100 Bill

Posted on: August 17th, 2012 by Nellie's 1 Comment

In 2009, the Strategic Counsel conducted focus groups in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Fredericton to hear feedback from around the country for the newly designed Bank of Canada notes.

The newly designed $100 bill depicted an “Asian-looking” woman peering into a microscope. The design was meant to celebrate the advancement of medical technology in Canada.

Canada’s Current $100 Bill

Some of the findings of the focus groups included:

Toronto groups were positive about the image of an Asian woman because “it is seen to represent diversity or multiculturalism.”

However, in Quebec, “the inclusion of an Asian without representing any other ethnicities was seen to be contentious.”

One person in Fredericton commented: “The person on it appears to be of Asian descent which doesn’t rep(resent) Canada. It is fairly ugly.”

Based on the findings from the focus group study, the $100 bill’s image was rejected because of the concerns that the image of the person on it “appears to be Asian”.

In Toronto, we are privileged to live in one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in the world. This city has been made richer by newcomers of all backgrounds who have contributed to the vibrant landscape we live in. It is a shame that not everyone embraces diversity.

Since 1973, Nellie’s has provided safety and shelter to over 15,000 women and their children from ALL backgrounds, races, cultures, identities and abilities. We’re proud to be part of this beautiful city, and proud to be Canadian.

Read the full article by the Globe and Mail here.

Canada’s current $100 Bill.

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

Posted on: August 9th, 2012 by Nellie's No Comments

Across the world, diverse Indigenous Peoples share the common feature of being the peoples, communities and nations that have existed in specific territories since time immemorial. They self-identify as part of a distinct collectivity, with culturally different languages, customs, religions, spiritual values and institutions.

Under International law, Indigenous Peoples have the right to be free from discrimination and free to participate fully in public life.  Under the Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, they have the right to pursue their own visions of economic and social development.  Yet, despite the proclamation of these rights, many of the world’s Indigenous Peoples face continual injustice, political and economic marginalization and discrimination.  Some startling facts, as stated by the UN, are laid out below:

  • Indigenous Peoples continue to be over-represented among the poor, the illiterate and the unemployed.  Although they constitute approximately 5% of the world’s population, they make up 15% of the world’s poor.
  • Many Indigenous Peoples face major obstacles accessing and completing their education.  Obstacles include a lack of relevant educational material and malnourishment.  Indigenous girls, in particular, may face gender discrimination, school-based violence and sexual abuse, all of which contribute to higher dropout rates.
  • Poor health and lack of adequate housing are major concerns.  For example, the gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous people ranges from 6 to 20 years.  In Canada, a developed country that believes in universal health care, the gap is 17 years.
  • Indigenous women in North America are 5 times more likely to experience violent deaths than non-indigenous women.

August 9th, 2012, marks the 18th commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.  The United Nations has chosen this year’s theme to be “Indigenous Media.”  Through the media, the Indigenous Peoples’ voices can be heard, and their experiences and achievements shared.

In line with Nellie’s social justice beliefs and values, Nellie’s will join the rest of the world on this day and remember.  We will remember the dismal conditions many Indigenous Peoples live in, the oppression they experience and the many challenges they will continue to face.  But Nellie’s will also remember the Indigenous Peoples’ persistence in fighting for their individual and collective rights and rejoice in the contributions they have made to Indigenous and non-Indigenous societies.  We will hold on to the Indigenous People’s hope and promote their right to pass on their ancestral knowledge; to live lives based not only on their own traditions, values and way of life, but on common principles of justice and mutual respect.