News Release Archive
HUMAN RIGHTS--LAUNCH OF FAIR AND SAFE PLAY PROGRAM APPLAUDED
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The executive director of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission
A. Wayne MacKay today announced support for the provincial Fair &
Safe Play Program.
The program developed out of an incident involving an aboriginal
hockey player who was harassed by players and fans during a game
in Oxford in 1993. One result of that negative incident was the
formation of a joint committee of several provincial sport and
recreational associations. An initiative undertaken by the joint
committee was the formation of a steering committee in 1994, that
produced the Fair and Safe Play' program launched by the Sport
and Recreation Commission on March 4, 1997.
Future activities include a review to determine the potential for
the designation of regional ombudsperson committees which will
hear complaints and recommend action, designing and implementing
committee training and the development of an anti-racism policy
for sports.
"It is important that programming of this nature receive the full
support of the Human Rights Commission," said Mr. MacKay.
"Various organizations have worked hard to ensure that racism is
eradicated from organized sports. This is not a cure but provides
a first meaningful step to address the problem." Mr. MacKay is
hopeful that parents and community leaders will review and fully
support this positive endeavour.
Committee programming will not only address racial incidents but
also work to resolve game related sexual and other types of
harassment. Individuals are still able to make a complaint to the
Human Rights Commission. However, the commission is hopeful that
by getting the message out that discrimination in sports will no
longer be tolerated and complaints of this nature will diminish.
Mr. MacKay said, "Prevention is always better than after the fact
remedies in human rights matters. To use the old cliche an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
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Contact: A. Wayne MacKay 902-424-4111 or 902-477-5864
Phil Comeau 902-424-4111
trp Mar. 13, 1997 - 10:15 a.m.
