Dialogue

CHRA Winnipeg 2015

CHRA Conference Winnipeg, 2015

Christina and I attended the CHRA Conference in Winnipeg this year, April 28th – May 1st. The greatest moments for me were the Metis dancers, singers and musicians playing to a wildly cheering crowd before 9 am – what a way to start a conference! And….Wab Kinew.

Wab Kinew was the Congress keynote Speaker and he gave a dynamic, riveting and impactful speech that had the audience hoping that he would just keep going. He spoke about the home fires which we need to keep burning, he talked about family, he talked about being a Sundancer and what that meant, he talked about the injustices towards Aboriginal people, but he also talked about moving forward together, stronger. He spoke of leaders and how great leaders should have less than the people they lead….if my people are cold I will give them clothes, if they are hungry, I will make sure they are fed first…..

He was wonderful and certainly left me with a feeling of wanting to work harder than I ever have to make sure that all families have a home fire to meet around – a home where they are safe and sheltered.

We took time to visit the Human Rights Museum and it left us emotionally drained, but inspired to act, to make sure that we are part of the solution and not part of “Man’s inhumanity to Man” either pro actively or through inaction or indifference.

Wab’s speech and the Human Rights Museum left us with this one overarching message:

“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.”