Author: Myriam Quinn

Press Release – Welland (Ontario)

May 30, 2023

Salem witches, immigrants, transgendered people, feminists, First Nations, religious minorities and queer people. These groups have all fallen victim to the phenomenon known as moral panic. This concept, coined by sociologist Stanley Cohen 51 years ago, refers to the media’s amplification of the threat posed by stigmatized communities, with very little, exaggerated or erroneous information. Differences in the norms and interests of different groups are amplified, and presented as a fear-inducing danger. This fear is then exploited to create impositions and consolidate social control that undermine fundamental human rights.

June, Pride Month and National Aboriginal History Month, is upon us. It is our duty to support and strengthen the fight against all forms of discrimination, oppression and marginalization. We must not give in to moral panic. Let us be wary of encouraging stereotypes that exacerbate real and perceived divisions and differences between communities and individuals. Our differences deserve to be celebrated, and should not be seen as a threat to society’s values. What makes us human is our ability to accept each other, and to see that our strength is indeed our diversity. We must respect the rights of all and avoid seeking evil in order to prove good.

In addition to the beginning of the summer solstice, a time of year symbolizing a new season of life and a chance to make a fresh start, June gives us the opportunity to learn more about the heritage and diversity of First Nations peoples, and to celebrate every action taken to protect the rights of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. It is by breaking down the myths surrounding xenophobia, racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism and all other forms of irrational fear of differences that we will succeed in making the world a better place.

Over the next few weeks, the CSCHN family and community members will be invited to take part in activities to raise awareness of the realities of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and First Nations peoples. To kick off the month, we will be raising the Franco-Pride flag for the 5th consecutive year in Welland, on June 1, at noon, and for the 3rd year in Hamilton, on June 2, at the same time.

To live in tolerance and for love to conquer hate, let us be brave and take the risk of communicating and accepting others.

Join us and learn more.

France Vaillancourt – Executive Director

Press release – Hamilton (Ontario), February 23 2023

Human Trafficking Awareness Day is a national event to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking and to promote action to prevent and combat it. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons through the use of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception or the abuse of power by a person in a vulnerable position for the purpose of exploitation. Human trafficking can take many forms, including sexual exploitation, forced labour and organ removal.

The Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara has received funding to assist youth who are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and their families. This is an important step in the fight against human trafficking as youth are often at high risk of being targeted by traffickers. The CSCHN continues to provide education and awareness as well as support services and one-on-one assistance to help youth and their families recognize the signs of trafficking and take steps to prevent it.

It is also important to note that Niagara is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, including sexual exploitation. This is due to a number of factors, including its location on a major transportation route and its proximity to the U.S. border. The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking has identified the Niagara region as a hub for human trafficking in Canada, and it is important that communities are aware of this problem and take action to combat it.

Overall, Human Trafficking Awareness Day is an important reminder of the need to work together to prevent and combat human trafficking, and our organization’s work to support youth and their families is a crucial part of that effort.

We know that human trafficking is a complex, pervasive issue that affects many communities, including Hamilton :

The City of Hamilton is also considered a high-risk area for human trafficking due to its location on the main transportation route between Toronto and the U.S. border, as well as its proximity to the Niagara region. The Hamilton Police Service has identified human trafficking as a significant problem in the city, particularly with respect to sex trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable youth.

The CSCHN continues to play an important role in combating human trafficking in Hamilton by providing support, resources to youth and families in the city, including raising awareness of the signs of trafficking, providing one-on-one assistance and psychotherapeutic support to victims, and outreach and prevention programs to support youth at risk.

Working with local organizations and community groups in Hamilton and the Niagara region is critical to addressing human trafficking, as it requires a coordinated and comprehensive response. This could include partnering with the Hamilton Police Service, local shelters and support services, and other community organizations to raise awareness of the issue in the various communities and provide support to victims and survivors.

Finally, it is important to remember that human trafficking is a global problem that affects millions of people around the world. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of this issue, but combating trafficking requires individuals and organizations in every community to continually educate, advocate, and act.

Information:

Loubna Moric, Director (Interim) Programs against Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse, and Community Initiatives

Tél. : (905) 734-1141 – www.cschn.ca

Press release – Welland (Ontario), February 2^nd 2023

The Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara joins the rest of Canada, the United States and more recently Ireland and the United Kingdom, in celebrating Black History Month. In partnership with the Centre Francophone Hamilton and so throughout the month, we will hold numerous activities culminating in the 10^th annual gala on February 25th. But let’s be honest, Black History Month is not only fun and games. It is also an opportunity to reminisce and reflect on ways to improve the world we all live in.

Have you ever heard of Chloe Cooley? She was a young Black woman who resisted her own enslavement in Queenston, in our very own backyard, in the late 18th century and who is being honoured by Canada Post. During this time period, enslavement in Upper Canada was on the rise but things were shifting, something was afoot and Chloe, who was known to be strong willed, to often refuse to obey and to leave her master’s property to wander without permission, would be a catalyst to change.

And so, in March 1793, amid rumours that enslavement could soon be banned and fearing the loss of his investment, Chloe’s enslaver kidnapped, bound and forced her on a boat that led her across the Niagara River to the United States, where she was sold. However, she did not go down easy and fought back… hard.  Her screams and attempts to free herself attracted the attention of witnesses who later recounted what they saw to Lt.-Gov. Simcoe. He would use those testimonies to introduce a new legislation in July 1793, less than 4 months after Chloe’s abduction, and that is how the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada was passed.

This Act, did not free a single slave but prevented their importation and freed future children of slaves at age 25. Afterward, slavery declined and in 1834, 41 years after Chloe fought back, slavery was abolished in the British Empire.

And even if she did not benefit from it, Chloe had done it! She had opened a pathway to freedom for others as her actions led to the gradual abolition of enslavement in Canada.  She had created a legal refuge for men, women and children fleeing enslavement, for more that 30 000 freedom-seeking Black Americans.

Join us this month and throughout the year to celebrate and recognize the work that has been done and still needs to be done to make our world a more inclusive place. A place where it is safe to walk down the street at night, a place where you are not afraid of being arrested for no reason, regardless of your faith, color or gender.  Racism and discrimination must cease now.

Let us put an end to it all and like Chloe, let’s fight back and defend others when we witness prejudice. Remember, it only takes a tiny spark to ignite a fire.

Information:

France Vaillancourt, Executive Director

Phone. : (905) 734-1141 – www.cschn.ca

Link with more info about the Gala: www.facebook.com/events/

Link to the Canada Post video:  www.youtube.com

Press release – Welland (Ontario), January 25^th 2023

Today, January 25, on Bell Let’s Talk Day, the CSCHN family joins the conversation and commits to taking meaningful action to create positive change.

Since 2011, people here and around the globe have been participating in the world’s largest conversation about mental health on Bell Let’s Talk Day. Together, we have taken great steps to fight the stigma surrounding mental health issues and inspire each other to take action to create a Canada where everyone can get the help they need. But it is clear that we need to do more.

We need to create changes and we need to take action not just today, but every day!

This year’s Bell Let’s Talk campaign focuses on how we can create positive change and how we can take action in meaningful ways. Using the letters of the word CHANGE, our team of mental health workers share how we can all create positive change. Here you will find a montage that may inspire you.

Help us encourage others to join the movement. We are proud to come together, take action and help make a difference for mental health in this country so that everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, has access to mental health and addiction support they need to thrive.

You can find resources and learn more about some of the organizations that provide mental health services and support across Canada and download the Bell Let’s Talk toolkit to start your own conversation about mental health and help create positive change at home, school or work.

We would also like to mention that the CSCHN family is looking forward to the upcoming launch of the three-digit suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.

Join us in showing your support for all those living with mental illness and those who help them.

Information:

France Vaillancourt, Executive Director

Phone : (905) 734-1141 – www.cschn.ca

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