Human Rights Each Day.com

Embracing the Changing Face of Canada

       I’ve been waiting for these results for literally two years.  Today (May 8, 2013) Statistics Canada released a lot of data from the 2011 Census.  While the media (rightfully so) is commenting on the lower completion rate of the census because the government stopped making it mandatory (stupid), the fact is, there is still lots of information that tells us how much our country is changing.

       Because I just gave a presentation here in Calgary just a couple hours ago, this afternoon, I was holed up in the lounge at the Calgary airport, going over the data, calling Stats Canada several times (they are very friendly and very helpful) and even getting work done by my PowerPoint guy in Toronto, Dave Paradi.  While not exhaustive at all (because I have a 6 a.m. flight to catch in the morning), here are some interesting findings:

•    One in five Canadians is an immigrant.  We lead the pack of the G7 countries at 20.6%, with Germany being the closest at only 13% and then the Americans at 12.9%.  Australia on the other hand has 26.8% of their population as foreign born.

•    Is it any wonder that people look so different than my grandparents when they immigrated to Canada?  85.5% of immigrants in the 10 years leading up to 2011 did not come from Europe.  That’s a big shift from years ago.

•    Muslims continue to be the fastest growing religious group.  While relatively small in numbers (just over 1 million), they make up 3.21% of our population, which is significant when they were only 1.9% of our population in 2001.  Stats Canada estimates that by 2031, half of all the non-Christians will be Muslim.

•    We can certainly focus on the religious group, but get this:  24% of Canadians said they have “no religious affiliation” in 2011.  Some people might think of Alberta as a “bible belt” (I hope that’s not insensitive) but 31.5% of their citizens said they fall into the same category.  That’s up from an already high of 23% just 10 years ago.

•    But get this…in my home province of B.C. 44% of people said they had “no religious affiliation”.  That is a hair’s breadth away from the 44.6% of B.C. residents who said they are Christian.  When we talk about religious accommodation, we are going to have to come to grips with a tonne of people who will be asking for their own accommodations…away from religion.

•    When it comes to Aboriginal Canadians, they are still far and away the only population group that is growing.  While the Canadian population grew by almost 11% between 2001 and 2011, the Aboriginal population grew by (get this) 88%.  If this isn’t a good reason to get moving on improving the lives of First Nations, Metis and Inuit Canadians, I don’t what will be.  And while the median age of Aboriginal Canadians was 28 years, the non-Aboriginal was 41 years…a 13 year age gap, meaning this continues to be a young population looking to break away from despair and tragedy (for many).

       We need lots of people to come to our country and make up for our low birth rate and our aging population.  I want someone paying for my expensive health care needs (and I’m sure they will be) when I’m old and gray(er).  The sooner we make new Canadians and Aboriginals feel welcomed (and pay them the same wages as other Canadians) the better off we’ll be.  I don’t have to be a cheerleader for multiculturalism to know that this is a reality, with very little room for debate.  But I think we’re up for the challenge.

Good night.  If I'm lucky, I'll sleep on the plane.

Stephen

Today's skill testing question:   On this day (May 8) in 1945, a big celebration took place in many parts of the world.  This event certainly lead to the creation of the United Nations & it's declaration of Human Rights.  The first person who can tell me the exact name of this day will win a copy of my book, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters.

Related Resources:

    
 
This blog: http://www.humanrightseachday.com/

My website: http://www.stephenhammond.ca

My Podcast: Type in “HumanRightsaDay” to the iTunes store and listen to each day's event from my book, Steps in the Rights Direction, or just click here.

My Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rightstoday (each day has historical human rights info)

Stephen Hammond, B.A., LL.B., CSP, is a lawyer-turned professional speaker. He’s written two books, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters and Steps in the Rights Direction: 365 human rights celebrations and tragedies that inspired Canada and the world. Managing Human Rights at Work can be purchased on his website www.StephenHammond.ca

copyright - Stephen Hammond -Embracing the Changing Face of Canada

Why I didn't wear a pink shirt

I don’t like wearing a pink shirt on Pink Shirt Day.

       Don’t get me wrong, when years ago Nova Scotia students David Shephard and Travis Price decided to show a school bully they can wear whatever they want and he can’t get away with bullying anyone…they were very successful.  What they did was fantastic and if everyone did something similar when a bully tried to get his/her way, we’d be on a very different planet.

       But now everyone has jumped on the bandwagon, with media and other corporations putting up big banners and encouraging everyone to wear pink.  I don’t bother.

       I would in an instant if my “actions” actually did something (how tough is it to wear a certain colour shirt once a year?).  If I were to use my pink shirt to go up to someone who was giving me trouble or calling me names, I’d do it in a heartbeat.  That would be a wonderful use of wearing a pink shirt and it was very successful when David and Travis rallied many friends from Central Kings Rural High School in Cambridge, Nova Scotia wore pink to show the bully that not only “homosexuals” wear pink.

       Somehow, encouraging people to wear pink shirts and to talk about bullying, for one particular day of the year is magically supposed to do something.  But words without actions are meaningless.  And I mean truly meaningless because a lot of time, money and resources may be put into a day that doesn’t tell us anything new.  Here’s the standard script:

• Stand up to a bully
• Talk to someone if you are being bullying
• Speak up if you see others being bullied

       Well, that pretty much covers it and these are wonderful and valid actions to take.  But I’d be surprised if anyone over the age of 6 hasn’t heard some version of this…yet bullies still persist with kids and adults still afraid to speak up.  Know why?

• The fear of a bully is greater than our belief that something will be done
• Bullies prosper in young age and in old age…just look at some of the people leading the government of Canada (or ask a Canadian government scientist)
• Despite all the protections people are promised for speaking up, we see many examples where no protections are truly given and people can’t afford to lose a job or opportunity.

       I could go on, but then I would be stating the obvious.  If we really want to stop bullying then we have to hand out real consequences to those who abuse others.  That’s true for the school yard as it is for the workplace.  In my work, I’m constantly telling management that it’s not good enough to hold onto “top performers” if they abuse others.  Lay down the law, expect change and if not, show them the door.

       Yesterday was pink shirt day and if we want to celebrate the actions of two students who took a stand, I’m all for it.  But it will take more actions like theirs, not just the symbolic stuff that has followed, to make real change.  Know what else happened yesterday?

       U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a statue commemorating Rosa Parks, the African American woman who wouldn’t give up her seat for a white passenger.  Her actions lead to her arrest, but also to the ruling segregated buses were unconstitutional in the U.S..  In the process, she lost her job and lived most of her life in obscurity as she had to move up north to get any kind of job.  Now talk about standing up to bullies.

       Or yesterday, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Saskatchewan’s Human Rights provisions against hate crimes were in fact constitutional.  Despite a tsunami of opposition from every right wing mouth piece, James Komar, Brendan Wallace, Guy Taylor and Kathy Hamre, with the complete support of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, took William Whatcott to Human Rights saying his disgusting pamphlets incited hatred against gays and lesbians. (By the way, many civil libertarians also wanted the hate provisions struck down.  I often agree with them, but not on this one.)

The unanimous decision of the Supreme Court was penned by Justice Marshall Rothstein.  He wrote:

“Hate speech, therefore, rises beyond causing emotional distress to individual group members. It can have a societal impact. If a group of people are considered inferior, sub-human, or lawless, it is easier to justify denying the group and its members equal rights or status…As the majority becomes desensitized by the effects of hate speech, the concern is that some members of society will demonstrate their rejection of the vulnerable group through conduct. Hate speech lays the groundwork for later, broad attacks on vulnerable groups. These attacks can range from discrimination, to ostracism, segregation, deportation, violence and, in the most extreme cases, to genocide.”

       You want, guts?  You want to stand up to bullies?  How about sticking your neck out so far that you have hate groups all over the world saying vile things about you.  These four did, along with many supporters.  Mr. Whatcott – someone who says he used to be homosexual – will likely continue saying the horrible things and there will be plenty of pressure on the Saskatchewan government to change the law.  Hopefully the government won’t cave and hopefully Mr. Whatcott will be thrown in jail if keeps saying and writing his dangerous filth.  Say what you want…but from jail if it's a criminal offense.

       If you want to wear pink, go ahead.  But while you’re wearing pink, stand up to someone who’s being a bully.  When that happens, I’d be happy to support pink shirt day.  One last quote from David Shepherd, I found on a CBC website.  It was in response to the fact that their pink shirt campaign shut up the bullies:

"If you can get more people against them … to show that we're not going to put up with it and support each other, then they're not as big as a group as they think are," he says.

Wise words for such a young man.

Stephen

Related Resources:

    
 
This blog: http://www.humanrightseachday.com/

My website: http://www.stephenhammond.ca

My Podcast: Type in “HumanRightsaDay” to the iTunes store and listen to each day's event from my book, Steps in the Rights Direction, or just click here.

My Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rightstoday (each day has historical human rights info)

Stephen Hammond, B.A., LL.B., CSP, is a lawyer-turned professional speaker. He’s written two books, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters and Steps in the Rights Direction: 365 human rights celebrations and tragedies that inspired Canada and the world. Managing Human Rights at Work can be purchased on his website www.StephenHammond.ca

copyright - Stephen Hammond - Why I didn't wear a pink shirt

Space Shuttle Disaster: 10 Years on with lessons to "speak up"

10 years ago today, the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.  The seven astronauts, like all those before them, knew there were risks but they had confidence in the experts at NASA.

While leaving the earth’s atmosphere, a piece of foam about the size of a briefcase, fell from one of the external rocket tanks and hit the left wing.  A group called the Debris Assessment Team was tasked with advising senior management about the risks to the Space Shuttle and the seven aboard.

NASA engineers were under the impression that a relatively small piece of foam couldn’t do much damage, because after all, falling foam on previous missions had caused no problems.  What they didn’t know at the time was that this foam weighed about two pounds and hit the left wing at over 500 miles per hour, causing significant damage.

Rodney Rocha, Chief Structural Engineer who also formed part of the Debris Assessment Team, was concerned about the risks and the lack of information they were requesting, but were being denied.

During a recorded interview on PBS’ show NOVA, Rocha mentioned that a few days later, he drafted an email to senior officials, “In my humble technical opinion, this is wrong and bordering on irresponsible.”  He said his finger hovered over the send key but he didn’t send it.  “Like any large organization, you have protocol.  You have managers and you have other people you should inform.”

A week later he was still concerned, but he said, “There was no management behind me.  So I felt pretty alone.  Kinda crazy.  I’m starting to be outnumbered by the people who think it might be ok or the others who are just kind of giving up on it.”

On February 1st, just 16 minutes before it was to land, the Space Shuttle broke apart and disintegrated over northern Texas.  As the Shuttle entered the Earth’s atmosphere, gases of extreme temperatures infiltrated the wing where the foam had hit and it spread throughout the craft.  All seven astronauts were killed.

Almost seven months after the disaster, an independent committee, made up of 13 people, and with a budget of $20 million, concluded that the dysfunctional work environment was a root cause of the problems at NASA.  The committee wrote in their report that “stifling protocol” in NASA communications got in the way.

The report stated, "When asked by investigators why they were not more vocal about their concerns, Debris Assessment Team members [said] that by raising contrary points of views about shuttle mission safety, they would be singled out for possible ridicule by their peers and managers."

In the Nova interview Rocha said, “One of my regrets is that I didn’t break the door down.  Why not just go to the very top and be very demanding and insisting on what we need.”

In 2003 I read part of that report and have spoken about it a number of times to audiences, telling them that this kind of fear of speaking up and speaking out, is common.  It’s just that in most workplaces, an inability to speak up doesn’t lead to the death of co-workers.

In these days when we talk about standing up to bullies and people who make life miserable for others at work, perhaps we can remember the problems at NASA and try to make improvements.  Rodney Rocha says things have changed substantially at NASA, where anyone can and does communicate with anyone.  That’s the way it should be.

I think we’ll be reading and seeing a lot about this 10 year anniversary.  If you want some very moving video and audio, you’ll find it on the web.  I did and it just bolsters me more to speak about what we often find ourselves up against: our resistance to speak up even when we know we should.

Stephen

Last skill testing question:   Terri Tomchick-Condon from London, Ontario was the first person to tell me that Mikhail Gorbachev resigned on December 25, 1991.  Terri was really lucky because she not only won a copy of my book,  Managing Human Rights at Work, but also one of my last Steps in the Rights Direction (now out of print).  Congratulations Terri.

Today's skill testing question:   On this day in 1979, one of the world's tyrants fled his country for exile in another.  The overthrow of his regime, and his father's before him, lead to a complete change in the country's political and religious make-up.  To this day, the politics and religion of this country causes great concern all over the world.  The first person who can tell me the name of the exiled government leader and his country will win a copy of my book, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters.

Related Resources:

    
 
This blog: http://www.humanrightseachday.com/

My website: http://www.stephenhammond.ca

My Podcast: Type in “HumanRightsaDay” to the iTunes store and listen to each day's event from my book, Steps in the Rights Direction, or just click here.

My Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rightstoday (each day has historical human rights info)

Stephen Hammond, B.A., LL.B., CSP, is a lawyer-turned professional speaker. He’s written two books, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters and Steps in the Rights Direction: 365 human rights celebrations and tragedies that inspired Canada and the world. Managing Human Rights at Work can be purchased on his website www.StephenHammond.ca

copyright - Stephen Hammond - Space Shuttle Disaster: 10 years on with lessons to "speak up"

"Slap a Label on it" Book Sale Last Day!

Managing Human Rights at Work book sale, final day

...still at 77% off the website price

 

Turns out some people don't have the same deadline as we do...so we've had requests for last two days about getting this won't-be-repeated sale.  We thought we better send out a final notice.  Last day is today where you can get a box of 46 books at 77% off.

This book, which is now in the hands of more than 15,000 Canadian workplace leaders, will soon only be available in e-book and audio format.

Each box of books costs only $295 plus $20 S&H anywhere in Canada plus 5% gst (gst only on books).  All-in, that's only $330.75 per box or $7.19 per book.  That's 77% off the all-in website price.

The best way to pay is to click here or email us at Stephen@StephenHammond.ca or call at 604-685-8338.

Sale was supposed to end last Friday, but if you order today (Wednesday, December 19, 2012), you can still get the deal.

But for those who don't need 46 of Stephen's books, we should still offer a contest and a prize...and a prize that won't be repeated, because we only have a handful of the Steps book left...

Today's quiz:  Everyone knows the significance of December 25th, but other things happen on that day around the world.  On December 25, 1991 a world leader resigned.  His name is still mentioned today as his actions lead to one of the most significant change that affected many countries around the world.  The first person to tell Stephen me his name will win a copy of Managing Human Rights at Work AND Steps in the Rights Direction (the Steps book is no longer selling as we only have a handful and is no longer in print).

Merry Christmas

Can we talk about suicide on this anniversary?

       December 10th is always important for me.  On the one hand, it’s the anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  On the other hand, it’s the birthday of our dog, Willis.  He’s four years old today.

Ok, I’ll stick with the more relevant topic of human rights.

       Last week, I was at the annual convention of CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Speakers), held for the first time in Winnipeg.  It’s always great to keep up with your own profession and to learn new things.  On the last day of the convention, my dear friend Linda Edgecombe hosted a panel of three speakers who spoke about various bouts of depression and how the help they sought was crucial for them.

       This is the first time they’ve done anything like this and I was impressed and moved.  All four of them had wonderful things to say, but in particular I noted one thing Tazz said about suicide.  He said despite what the professionals said, he thinks it’s important to talk about suicide with young people because it’s one of their biggest causes of death in Canada (I think he said it’s the biggest killer of youth).

       After that session, I decided to talk to him about an issue that came to my mind.  A couple years ago I did a project with a client where they chose events from my Steps in the Rights Direction book (now out of print but you can hear it daily for free at iTunes).  For each week of the year, we chose one historical human rights event and featured it.  It is completely geared to youth and is also meant as a tool for educators.

       Because I had written so little about mental illness (yes, I too forget about it), we wanted to use January 10th, which was the anniversary of the death of monologist and actor, Spalding Gray.  In 2004 he killed himself after a lifetime of depression.  During the process where this website project was coming together, I heard from the client.  They had heard from experts in mental health that using Spalding Gray wasn’t a good idea because they didn’t want youth to think suicide was the only option to depression and other problems.

       I put up a slight protest thinking it’s important to talk to youth about suicide, but since I’m no expert on this subject, I didn’t push any further.  And my client was also relying on the advice of experts, as they were no experts in this field.  So we were all trying our best, but I kept feeling as though I wasn’t doing the right thing.

       The reason I felt so strongly (and should push a bit more) is that I remember watching Canada’s former finance minister Michael Wilson talk about his son, Cameron.  In 1995, at the age of 29, Cameron killed himself.  I’m just going by memory on this, so I hope I’m correct, but I think I am because of what Michael said.  He said that at the insistence of his son, Michael didn’t talk about the depression Cameron faced for years.  But after Cameron killed himself, he realized he was perpetuating the stigma that there is something else wrong with depression, which in turn leads some people to think their only alternative is suicide.  Since then Michael Wilson has used his power, money and influence to champion issues of mental health, in a big way.

       It was good to talk to Tazz (not sure, is his first name Big Daddy??) and it was great to hear someone so funny talk about such a serious issue.

       After hearing from Tazz, I realize the stars must have been aligned because the editorial in Saturday’s Globe and Mail was about the risks of keeping quiet with youth suicide.  It took up the entire editorial section.  You might want to read it.

       Today is the 64th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  When we celebrate the successes and consider the tragedies, I hope we take the time to talk more about mental illness and suicide so Canadian youth realize they are not alone with these feelings and that there are other options.  I will still listen to the experts in this field, but at the same time I’m not going to just accept carte blanche when my common sense says we need to talk, instead of staying silent.

Stephen

Related Resources:

    
 
This blog: http://www.humanrightseachday.com/

My website: http://www.stephenhammond.ca

My Podcast: Type in “HumanRightsaDay” to the iTunes store and listen to each day's event from my book, Steps in the Rights Direction, or just click here.

My Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rightstoday (each day has historical human rights info)

Stephen Hammond, B.A., LL.B., CSP, is a lawyer-turned professional speaker. He’s written two books, Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters and Steps in the Rights Direction: 365 human rights celebrations and tragedies that inspired Canada and the world. Managing Human Rights at Work can be purchased on his website www.StephenHammond.ca

copyright - Stephen Hammond - Can we talk about suicide on this anniversary?