The Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission has launched an online survey to understand how Indigenous people and new Canadians react to being at a higher risk of discrimination than other groups.
This project is to understand more about what people know about human rights in the Northwest Territories, states the Commission.
The project will ask questions to people who identify as Indigenous, or who are new to Canada, and also live in Dettah, Ndilo?, or Yellowknife.
Commission Deputy Chair Yacub Adam hopes the survey work will prompt Indigenous people and new Canadians to learn more about their human rights and the benefits of restorative dispute resolution processes.
Adam stated in a media release that, “People often suffer in silence despite most likely suffering persistent discrimination. Let us record their human rights experiences with this work.”
The Commission also hopes to better understand what a “just outcome” means across different groups of people.
Commission executive Adam stated there is a pressing need for this Human Rights research project and its results.
“Because for a long time, Indigenous people in the NWT have often put up with discrimination, injustice, and lack of equality rights. In recent times, this often applies to new Canadians too.”
Participants will be invited to complete an online survey about their knowledge and experiences about human rights.
Focus groups will also be held to hear more about how the human rights process can be more accessible and meaningful.
The survey and focus groups will run until the middle of April. Future projects are being considered to hear from people in other communities across the NWT.
Participation is open to people who live in and around Yellowknife, Dettah, and Ndilo? who identify as Indigenous.
It is also open to those who are new to Canada in the last five years.
Participants receive $20 for completing the online survey and up to $100 for participating in a focus group.
Interested participants can visit the project website at nwtrights.ca, or can call or text 587-287-7407.
