Using art to fight for rights: Senator McPhedran
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Art has the unique power to inspire, bring people together and incite social change. But many artists across Canada lack access to both the audience and resources found in the country’s power centres. This further mutes the voices of many marginalized Canadians calling for political action. We need to do better at spreading cultural resources — and by consequence, uniting communities across Canada. We need help to give today’s youth chances past generations missed out on.
As a senator, I decided to launch a series focused on the theme of bringing the Senate to youth and youth to the Senate. As a representative of Manitoba, my objective was to expose senators, members of Parliament and their staffs to some of the creativity that comes out of Western Canada.
The initiative opened recently with an event called Experience Manitoba Art Live, where we hosted a young designer based out of Winnipeg named Lennard Taylor. He started his career in the global fashion industry but eventually decided to open his own shop in downtown Winnipeg. His current work is firmly rooted in the idea of inclusivity, diversity and helping communities stand together.
The series was kicked off with Lennard for two reasons. First, he represents Canada’s youth. Second, I admire his dedication to ethical and ecological design. One of the reasons he left behind the lucrative fashion industry was because of the questionable labour practices that are often used in that business to keep costs down. Since then, he has made the commitment to source all of his materials. He’s able to look any customer in the eyes and say, “I know everything about where this came from and how it was produced.” For Lennard, it’s not about the cheapest possible production because that usually means it involved one or more forms of human exploitation.
At the event, Lennard created a one-of-a-kind painting on a signature shirt for Charlie Lowthian-Rickert, one of Canada’s youngest transgender rights advocates. Charlie and her family exemplify the themes of Lennard’s art: standing together for inclusive communities and stronger democracy. Together, Lennard and Charlie demonstrated the power of art and helped highlight the different ways in which groups struggling for their rights can express themselves.
Charlie went on to express her thoughts on human rights laws and her support for Bill C-16, which would add gender identity and gender expression to list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs but it has already been a challenge to get it this far.
It’s time that transgender rights, gender identity and gender expression become protected in the Criminal Code as well as in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Canada needs to be inclusive for all.
Art has the unique power to inspire, bring people together and incite social change. But many artists across Canada lack access to both the audience and resources found in the country’s power centres. This further mutes the voices of many marginalized Canadians calling for political action. We need to do better at spreading cultural resources — and by consequence, uniting communities across Canada. We need help to give today’s youth chances past generations missed out on.
As a senator, I decided to launch a series focused on the theme of bringing the Senate to youth and youth to the Senate. As a representative of Manitoba, my objective was to expose senators, members of Parliament and their staffs to some of the creativity that comes out of Western Canada.
The initiative opened recently with an event called Experience Manitoba Art Live, where we hosted a young designer based out of Winnipeg named Lennard Taylor. He started his career in the global fashion industry but eventually decided to open his own shop in downtown Winnipeg. His current work is firmly rooted in the idea of inclusivity, diversity and helping communities stand together.
The series was kicked off with Lennard for two reasons. First, he represents Canada’s youth. Second, I admire his dedication to ethical and ecological design. One of the reasons he left behind the lucrative fashion industry was because of the questionable labour practices that are often used in that business to keep costs down. Since then, he has made the commitment to source all of his materials. He’s able to look any customer in the eyes and say, “I know everything about where this came from and how it was produced.” For Lennard, it’s not about the cheapest possible production because that usually means it involved one or more forms of human exploitation.
At the event, Lennard created a one-of-a-kind painting on a signature shirt for Charlie Lowthian-Rickert, one of Canada’s youngest transgender rights advocates. Charlie and her family exemplify the themes of Lennard’s art: standing together for inclusive communities and stronger democracy. Together, Lennard and Charlie demonstrated the power of art and helped highlight the different ways in which groups struggling for their rights can express themselves.
Charlie went on to express her thoughts on human rights laws and her support for Bill C-16, which would add gender identity and gender expression to list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs but it has already been a challenge to get it this far.
It’s time that transgender rights, gender identity and gender expression become protected in the Criminal Code as well as in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Canada needs to be inclusive for all.