Local Immigration Partnerships team up to encourage Allyship on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

On March 21 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Local Immigration Partnerships in Simcoe, Grey-Bruce and Lanark and Renfrew Counties are jointly hosting an online panel discussion on Allyship to mark International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Expert panelists will discuss what it means to be an ally and provide guidance on how to address racism in different environments. The discussion will be followed by a half-hour, open Q&A session.

The panel includes experts in diversity, equity and inclusion, community building, advocacy and changemaking. The discussion will be moderated by employees from Georgian and Algonquin College. For more information on the panelists and to preregister, visit https://bit.ly/3J4ihI8. The event will also include information on the County of Simcoe’s #ITSTARTS campaign.

This panel discussion will be broadcast live on YouTube. A recording will also be posted on YouTube following the event. For anyone interested in actively participating in the live Q&A session, pre-registration is required to access the Zoom link.

Event: Allyship - #ITSTARTS with me!

Where: Watch the live or recorded session at https://tinyurl.com/AllyshipItStarts

To watch live and participate in the Q&A session, pre-register to receive the Zoom link

When: Tuesday, March 21, 2023 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Register: Register online by Marc 21, 2023 by emailing localimmigrationpartnership [at] algonquincollege.com (localimmigrationpartnership[at]algonquincollege[dot]com) 

About Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs)
The federal government provides funding for Local Immigration Partnerships (LIP) across Canada, including 36 LIPs in Ontario. LIPs bring together service providers, settlement agencies, community groups, employers and other key organizations across a municipality to create welcoming communities for newcomers. Allyship is key to establishing inclusive communities. LIPs work hard to break down barriers, elevate newcomers’ voices, and develop and strengthen supports for immigrants. 

For more information on LIPs, visit https://www.simcoe.ca/dpt/ccs/lip (Simcoe County), liplanarkrenfrew.ca (Lanark & Renfrew Counties), and greybrucelip.ca (Grey & Bruce Counties).

About International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – March 21
The UN General Assembly first proclaimed March 21 as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 1979. It is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960. Pass laws required all indigenous Africans over the age of 16 to carry a passbook everywhere they went, severely restricting and controlling travel, and dictating when, where and for how long black South Africans could stay within white areas. For more information on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-racism-day.

About Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) - Lanark & Renfrew

A key principle of LIP’s work is developing relationships and linkages between like-minded organizations to encourage collaboration that builds on the strengths of multiple partners. LIP-Lanark & Renfrew works with partners across the 28 municipalities and cities in Lanark and Renfrew Counties. The work of LIP-Lanark & Renfrew is administered by Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus. Learn more about LIP-Lanark & Renfrew at liplanarkrenfrew.ca

About the Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership (GBLIP)

In 2020, Grey and Bruce Counties received funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to administer the GBLIP—a collaborative community initiative designed to fill critical gaps in the local labour force by improving the successful integration of newcomers. The GBLIP works at the local level to foster a sense of belonging and supports various stakeholders in building their capacity, raising awareness of the needs of newcomers, and supporting community-level research and planning. Learn more about GBLIP at greybrucelip.ca.

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Chris Hedley
Public Relations Consultant
County of Simcoe, Service Simcoe Department
705-715-7654 (mobile)
Chris.Hedley [at] simcoe.ca (Chris[dot]Hedley[at]simcoe[dot]ca)

Collin Matanowitsch
Public Relations Manager
County of Simcoe, Service Simcoe Department
705-734-8386 (mobile)
Collin.Matanowitsch [at] simcoe.ca (Collin[dot]Matanowitsch[at]simcoe[dot]ca)