Episodes

On this episode, our correspondent, Emily Rendell-Watson speaks to Professor Irshad Manji: Best selling author and founder of Moral Courage College, and a recipient of Oprah’s “Chutzpah Award” for boldness. Professor Manji is an accomplished leadership scholar whose work focuses on teaching people how to engage in constructive conversations. She will be presenting her talk: “From Polarization to Collaboration” on June 8th at the Citadel Theatre. This talk is part of Edmonton Public Library’s Fo...

Though the Supreme Court’s ruling on Vriend v. Alberta helped pave the way for equality for Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ communities, maintaining the road to dignity for all has been tumultuous. There have been many setbacks, followed by advances, followed by setbacks in the subsequent years. It took the Government of Alberta (GOA) 11 years to officially add the words “sexual orientation” to its human rights legislation. It also amended its education act to prohibit teachers from mentioning sexual orie...

The Supreme Court’s ruling on Vriend v. Alberta has impacted the lives of countless 2SLGBTQI+ people. Not just in Alberta, not just in Canada, but around the globe. In this episode we look at the ripple effect Vriend v. Alberta has had over the past 25 years since first making its splash at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton. We also return to where this story began, and look at how The King’s University has worked to address its complicated legacy as ground zero for the court case...

The Supreme Court had ruled that sexual orientation should be read into Alberta’s human rights legislation. But the Alberta Government had one more tool it could use to deny equality to its Queer population. That option was the Notwithstanding Clause. The province slipped into turmoil as the Alberta Government debated whether or not to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause. As Premier Ralph Klein remained silent, hate and vitriol bubbled to the surface of public discourse resulting in massive let...

Dewlin Vriend and his legal team returned home from the Supreme Court of Canada to find a massive crowd waiting for them at the Edmonton International Airport. Alberta was in a frenzy, and the anticipation built as the province waited for the Supreme Court to issue its ruling on the future of equality for Alberta’s Queer and Trans community. It was going to be a close call. Delwin’s legal team’s hopes rested with Justice Sopinka — the swing vote. But a week after the hearing, the tragic news ...

Sheila Greckol had delivered her opening arguments at the Supreme Court of Canada. It went well as she presented her submission in support of reading in sexual orientation as a protected ground in Alberta’s human rights legislation. Now it was the Government of Alberta’s turn to defend its stance. As the Province’s lead counsel took to the lecturn, the equality of countless Canadians hung in the balance. Welcome to episode 6 of Vriend Versus Alberta. *NOTE: The terms “Queer and Trans” and “se...

The Supreme Court of Canada granted Delwin Vriend’s legal team the leave to appeal Justice McClung’s ruling in the Alberta Court of Appeal. As the team arrived in Ottawa, the excitement and tension was palpable. It was their last shot to compel the Government of Alberta to include “sexual orientation” as protected ground in the Province’s human rights legislation. In this episode, we take a deep dive into Sheila Greckol’s opening argument and visit a few of the submissions from the many interven...

With his legal team behind him, Delwin Vriend won his case at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. Justice Russel pulled no punches in her written ruling, stating that discrimination against the gay and lesbian communities was an historical, universal, notorious, and indisputable social reality. It was a big win for Delwin and his team, however it would be short lived as the Government of Alberta appealed the ruling. The next stage in the legal process would not be so kind to Delwin’s pursuit for...

When Delwin Vriend was fired from his job at a Christian college for being gay, he had two choices; he could accept his termination, or fight back. He chose to fight. The first step was to file a complaint to the Alberta Human Rights Commission, but after the Commission denied his request it was time to take the Alberta Government to court. In this episode we look at the series of serendipitous events that brought Delwin’s legal team together to continue the arduous journey toward equality for C...

In the previous episode of Vriend Versus Alberta we learned how the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms laid the groundwork for 2SLGBTQI+ activists to begin pressing for progressive reform in Alberta. All that was needed was a cause to rally behind; an injustice that could be used to launch a challenge to the exclusion of sexual orientation from Alberta’s human rights legislation. That injustice would take place on January 28th, 1991 when a laboratory coordinator employed at ...

Vriend Versus Alberta is a special podcast series detailing the ground-breaking Supreme Court ruling that helped pave the way for equality for Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ community. On January 28, 1991, Delwin Vriend was fired from his job as a laboratory coordinator at The King’s College in Edmonton, Alta. because he was gay. Delwin’s only recourse was to file a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission. However, in 1991 sexual orientation was not included as a protected ground against discrimi...

April 2, 2023 is the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling on Vriend v. Alberta. This historic decision paved the way for equality for Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ community. Vriend Versus Alberta is a special podcast series produced by Edmonton Community Foundation and the Edmonton Queer History Project. Written and directed by Darrin Hagen, this project has been 18 months in the making. The story is told using more than a dozen in-depth interviews with key figures who participated in ...

On this episode, our correspondent, Aubrianna Snow, takes us on a journey through the Art Gallery of Alberta‘s curatorial process, and how they create art collections and experiences that are accessible to all. We also learn about the vital role endowment funds play in helping the gallery continue its work for generations to come. The original Art Gallery of Alberta Fund was established in December of 1989 by the Poole family – one of the first funds established during ECF inaugural year. This f...

On this episode, we meet Tina Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF). We are excited to have Tina join our team. ECF is the fourth-largest community foundation in Canada and is the largest non-governmental funder in Edmonton. We distribute more than 30 million dollars into the community annually. Tina joined our team in August of 2022 with a wealth of experience. Before ECF, Tina spent more than 13 years at the Edmonton Public Library (EPL), most recently as the ...

On this episode, our correspondent Oumar Salifou learns about the incredible Afro X Latin Festival presented by La Connexional. The Afro X Latin Festival began in 2019 with its first #WinterIsCancelled night, and brings together a diverse representation of African, Caribbean and Latin cultures. Edmonton Community Foundation is proud to be a 2023 sponsor. This year’s festival runs from Saturday, February 18th to Sunday, February 26th, and is packed with great events including dance parties and l...

On this episode, our correspondent, Aubrianna Snow, learns about how Edmonton’s Food Bank goes beyond food to support community members. Edmonton’s Food Bank was the very first food bank to open in Canada, and has been tackling food insecurity since 1981. They provide food and other assistance to thousands of people each month. In the course of a year, the food bank distributes about 6 million kilograms of food. This is help for thousands of individuals and families struggling with food insecur...

Edmonton’s population is on track to hit 2 million people by 2040. We got curious about what might be next in our city’s urban planning. And it turns out, there could be quite a bit of inspiration from the Philippines. On this episode, our correspondent, Emily Rendell-Watson, explores the idea of participatory urban planning. This concept empowers citizens to participate in the design of their city, so that people can achieve self-reliance, sustainable development and social justice. This isn’...

On this episode , we discuss the challenges of living with dementia and how one family has come together to support their mom. Dementia can be overwhelming or even scary for those living with the condition and for their families and caregivers. There is still so much we don’t know about dementia. It can affect people of various ages, and each person’s experience is unique. That is why Candace Smallwood created an endowment fund at ECF. The fund is called Shannon’s Fund for Dementia Research. C...

On this episode, our correspondent, Aubrianna Snow, learns about the tremendous community impact of Douglas Mitchell. Douglas held countless titles and honours throughout his life. He was a leading professional in law, a football player for both the BC Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and an advisor to countless community organizations. More importantly, he was a loving husband to former Alberta Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Lois Mitchell, and a father of four children. In 2017, Lois and D...

On this episode, our correspondent, Emily Rendell-Watson, speaks with Lloyd Cardinal: Co-Chair of EndPovertyEdmonton’s Indigenous Circle and this year’s Vital Signs Advisory Committee. Edmonton’s Vital Signs is an annual check-up that measures how the community is doing. This year’s report delves into topics including the history of racism in Edmonton and the ways that systemic racism affects housing, safety, health, education, civic engagement, and more. Although the report is rich with data,...

On this episode, our correspondent, Danielle Paradis, speaks with EndPovertyEdmonton about why affordable and social housing are an important investment for our city. November is Edmonton’s Housing Month, a good time to reflect on housing needs and the work being done locally. According to Homeward Trust, as of November 2022 there are 2,656 people experiencing homelessness in Edmonton. 47% identify as indigenous. 46% Identify as female. And 19% identify as youth. But the issue of housing extends...

On this episode, we meet Hayat El-Ossmani and Nunu Desalgne — two incredible community leaders here in Edmonton. Nunu and Hayat were recognized for their community work at the 2022 RISE Awards. The RISE Awards are presented by Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers to recognize immigrant success in Edmonton. Hayat and Nunu received The Community Leadership Award, sponsored by Edmonton Community Foundation. This award recognizes newcomers who demonstrate a commitment to community engagement, wi...

On this episode, we speak with artist Carol Wylie about her exhibition They Didn’t Know We Were Seeds. It is an evocative series of portraiture which invites us to consider the parallels between the Holocaust and residential schools, by introducing us to 18 survivors. Understanding the intergenerational trauma experienced by both the Indigenous and Jewish communities, this series is an important way to acknowledge first-hand accounts of survival, and of building a life, family and community af...

On this episode, our correspondent Scott Lilwall finds out how an endowment fund created by the Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society will help support the Royal Alberta Museum far into the future! Links: Find out more about the Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society! Visit the Royal Alberta Museum. Find out more about creating an endowment fund at ECF. ECF Happenings: Watch the Well-Endowed Web Show! Read the latest on our blog. Check out our ECF Fund listing and Strategic Gr...