Episodes

We sit down with Michel Durand-Wood, better known online as "Elmwood Guy," a Winnipeg-based writer, community advocate, and author of "You'll Pay for This: How We Can Afford a Great City for Everyone Forever." Michel shares his journey from concerned neighbour to influential voice in municipal finance and urban planning.

We sit down with Dr. Kerstin Roger, a researcher and advocate tackling an urgent but often overlooked human rights issue: the abuse of older adults. Dr. Roger shares why this isn't just a family matter—it's a fundamental question of human dignity and rights.

We sit down with Stanislas Bell, Manager of Visitor Services at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the first Black manager in a position of power at the institution. Originally from Cameroon, Stanislas shares his journey from teenage immigrant to community leader, including a life-threatening encounter with medical racism that shaped his commitment to serving others.

We sit down with Brigette DePape, project manager and climate planner at Narratives Inc, who brings together climate advocacy, education, and community action in powerful ways. As someone who's been part of the climate justice movement for over 15 years, Bridgette offers both personal insights and practical solutions for addressing our climate crisis while building resilient communities.How early experiences connecting with nature—from bike rides through Seine River Forest to cleaning up garbage from the Seine River—shaped Bridgette's environmental passion

Aaron Pollock: Architecture as Human Rights - Designing Spaces for Justice and InclusionIt's Pride month, and we're sitting down with Aaron Pollock, associate architect at Number TEN Architectural Group and the lead architect behind the Rainbow Resource Centre's groundbreaking phase two expansion. Aaron brings together his passion for inclusive design with real-world expertise in creating what he calls "purpose-built queer spaces" - moving beyond simply adapting existing buildings to designing f...

We sit down with Dr. Stanley Amaladas, Director of the Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Amaladas reflects on his journey from Malaysia to Canada and shares a powerful story about his citizenship interview that shaped his understanding of human rights, responsibility, and dignity. We're exploring: How an uncomfortable citizenship interview became a lesson about rights, power, and responsibility The difference between the legal framework of rights ...

We sit down with Ron Thiessen, Executive Director of CPAWS Manitoba, and Carly Gray, Environmental Education Manager, to discuss conservation initiatives in our province and the importance of connecting with nature.

We welcome back Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman to discuss his new book, "Developing Anti-Racist Cultural Competence." In this episode, he breaks down how traditional approaches to cultural competence often centre whiteness and view other cultures through a colonial lens. Instead, he offers a transformative framework that begins with self-reflection about our own biases.

We sit down with Haran Vijayananthan, Community Health and Wellness Director at Klinic Community Health Center. Haran shares his experience challenging the Toronto Police Service over their handling of missing persons cases and his current work making healthcare more accessible to marginalized communities right here in Winnipeg. We're talking:Why "awareness" without action falls short in creating real changeHow Haran's work led to concrete reforms in how police handle missing persons casesThe barriers that prevent people from moving from awareness to activismWhy understanding intersectionality is crucial for effective human rights workReal strategies for engaging with systems to create lasting policy changes Whether you're wondering how to move beyond social media activism or looking for examples of successful advocacy that creates systemic change, this conversation offers practical insights into making meaningful progress on human rights issues that affect our local community…

Stuart Murray sits down with Devon Clunis, the first Black Chief of Police in Canadian history, to discuss his new autobiography "ONE: A Story of Hope in Our Time."

We sit down with Ralph Bryant – a writer, filmmaker, and mental health advocate who's making waves in Winnipeg's community. Originally from the Bronx, Ralph brings a unique perspective to mental health advocacy, particularly focusing on Black men's mental health through his documentary project "On the Verge."

For our milestone 100th episode, veteran journalist and Winnipeg Free Press columnist Dan Lett takes over the interviewer's chair to dig into host Stuart Murray's journey from Canadian Museum for Human Rights CEO to human rights podcast creator.

When Byron Williams and Taylor Galvin sit down to discuss their unprecedented legal case, one thing becomes clear - they're fighting for something much bigger than themselves. The duo is part of a landmark effort to grant legal rights to Lake Winnipeg under Section 7 of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms - the first case of its kind in Canada. In this episode, we explore how traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western legal frameworks are coming together to protect one of the world's la...

We sit down with Theodore Biggs-Engel, a transgender activist, researcher, and fourth-year health sciences student at the University of Manitoba who is using systems mapping – a method for visualizing how different parts of complex systems interact and influence each other – to better understand gender-affirming care.As president of the Rainbow Pride Center and queer representative on the university's union board of directors, Theo brings both personal experience and academic rigor to the conversation about gender-affirming care in Manitoba. His work using systems mapping to analyze barriers to care recently placed fourth in a national competition.We're discussing:

On this episode of Humans, On Rights we talk with the Founder of the Joy Smith Foundation. Joy Smith’s journey, and the history behind the Foundation, are testimony that the actions of one individual can make a difference for so many others.

Poverty is a human rights issue. A “Basic Income” is a policy idea centered on providing all individuals within a society with a regular, unconditional payment from the government. This payment is intended to cover essential living expenses, ensuring everyone has a financial safety net regardless of their employment status, income level, or personal circumstances.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights recently released a survey called Foresights for Human Rights. This national survey offers numerous and interesting insights into the human rights landscape of Canada.

"AI is likely to be either the best or the worst thing to happen to humanity” - Stephen Hawking Cody Chomiak, a recognized voice in the field of artificial intelligence, and the Vice President of Marketing, Travel Manitoba shares his thought provoking comments on how AI is changing the world before our very eyes. Chomiak reminds us that what was once science fiction, we now carry systems powered by AI in our pockets and wear them on wrists. Although Chomiak recognizes the risks that can dampen the considerable possibilities that AI presents, he is a strong advocate that the promise of AI to improve our lives, especially for those who experience human rights challenges due to physical or mental barriers. Driverless cars providing access to transportation for those with physical disabilities to Google glasses that allow those with visual impairment to read text in any language.Cody highly recommends Dr. Joy Buolamwini’s book Unmasking AI and the Dean of MBA at NYU Stern School of Bus…

Sport is not an equal plying field. We need to change the game. Craig Brown from Anti Racism in Sport talks about how the lack of empirical information that details the experiences of First Nations, Inuit, Metis, Black, Racialized and Religious Minority communities in sport in Winnipeg became the backdrop for the Anti Racism in Sport organization.

With over 15 years of experience as a peacebuilder and certified environmental professional, Somia Sadiq the founder and CEO of Narratives Inc. has been exploring how inclusive planning and Indigenous led solutions are crucial in advancing human rights locally in Manitoba and more broadly. In this episode of Humans, on Rights, Somia shares multiple stories and examples of how she and her team seek to find and create spaces for respectful dialogue, to teach, advance diplomacy, and real barriers with purpose driven communities. Her personal journey, shaped by her family’s experiences during the Partition of India and Pakistan, her own entrepreneurial driven spirit as newcomer to Canada, has inspired Somia to become a leading advocate for inclusive, transformative change. Somia Sadiq Social Media: LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/somiasadiq/ Instagram – www.instagram.com/somiasadiq/ Personal website – www.somiasadiq.com Narratives Inc. website - www.narativesinc.com …

J Fiedler is a sexuality educator originally from Detroit, MI. They have a background in HIV/AIDS, 2STLGBQIA+ culture & inclusion and Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Over the years J has facilitated workshops in various territories around Manitoba from The Pas to Vita. They now live in Winnipeg and they are a member of the Sexual Education Research Centre (SERC)

Pay discrimination and inequality persist in Manitoba with women earning, on average, 71 % of what men earn.

Darcy Ataman is a Canadian humanitarian, music producer, and the founder and CEO of Make Music Matter, an organization that uses music therapy to help survivors of conflict and trauma. He created the Healing in Harmony program, which integrates music therapy with psychological support to assist individuals in recovering from traumatic experiences, particularly survivors of sexual violence and conflict in countries like Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and others. His work focuses on empowering marginalized communities by allowing participants to express their emotions and stories through music, helping them heal emotionally and psychologically.

Over the course of her incredible career, Carol Off has reached a level of journalistic excellence that has been equalled by few. She has covered conflicts in the Middle East, Haiti, the Balkans and the sub-continent. As well as events in the former Soviet Union, Europe, Asia, the United States and Canada. She reported the fallout from the 9/11 disasters with news features and documentaries from New York, Washington, London, Cairo, and Afghanistan and has won numerous awards from her CBC television documentaries in Asia, Africa and Europe.