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(Winnipeg Sun, Dec 06, 2024) •
Discrimination has no place in our society, yet it appears to have been institutionalized in a troubling way at the University of Winnipeg (UW).
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Recent reporting by True North has shed light on a disturbing practice by the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA): the operation of a lounge since 2018 inside the Bulman Student Centre that explicitly excludes students based on their race.
Known as the BIPoC Lounge, this space is open only to students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or as people of colour. Students who identify as white are not welcome. This is segregation, plain and simple, and it must not be tolerated in any form.
The Winnipeg Sun reached out to both the University of Winnipeg administration and the UWSA for comment.
In an emailed statement, the UW said, “The university leases this space to the UWSA, which is a separate organization. We can’t speak on behalf of the UWSA.”
The UWSA said, “[We] may respond at a later time.” Their reluctance to address this issue is as disappointing as it is telling.
The BIPoC Lounge is advertised as a “safe space” for racial minorities to “learn and heal through their understandings and experiences as BIPoC.”
Events hosted there, such as movie nights, study sessions, and book club meetings, are also restricted to students of colour. The lounge’s rules, posted prominently at its entrance, leave no room for ambiguity: students who do not meet the racial criteria are not allowed to enter. This exclusionary policy flies in the face of the values of equality and inclusivity that universities are supposed to uphold.
The University of Winnipeg’s own statistics highlight the rich diversity of its campus. As of 2019, 11.8% of the student population identified as Indigenous, while international students — hailing from countries such as India, Nigeria, and China — now make up 18% of the student body. This diversity should be celebrated and embraced by fostering spaces where all students can come together to share their experiences and perspectives. Instead, the BIPoC Lounge’s policy creates division, erecting walls between students rather than building bridges.
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This practice raises serious questions about compliance with Manitoba’s Human Rights Code, which explicitly prohibits discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, nationality, or ethnic origin, among other characteristics. The Code is clear: no one should be excluded from any public space or service because of race. By allowing the UWSA to operate a racially exclusive lounge on its premises, the University of Winnipeg is tacitly endorsing a policy that appears to violate the very principles of human rights.
Imagine for a moment if the situation were reversed. What if a lounge were established that explicitly barred students of colour? The outrage would be immediate and deafening, and rightly so. People would march in the streets, demanding accountability and justice. Yet in this instance, there has been a deafening silence from many quarters, including from those who claim to champion equality and social justice. This double standard is as troubling as the discriminatory policy itself.
Universities should be places where young minds are challenged to think critically and engage with ideas that differ from their own. They should not be places where segregation is normalized under the guise of creating “safe spaces.”
This is a massive step backward, not progress and it harkens to an era when people were divided and excluded based on the colour of their skin. It sows division and mistrust, undermining the very fabric of our society.
The silence from leadership on this issue is equally damning. Premier Wab Kinew, who often speaks about unity and reconciliation, has yet to address this matter. His inaction speaks volumes. Leaders are supposed to stand up for what is right, even when it is uncomfortable or politically inconvenient. By failing to condemn this policy, they are failing the very people they claim to represent.
The University of Winnipeg’s administration also bears responsibility. Their statement that they merely “lease” the space to the UWSA is a feeble attempt to absolve themselves of accountability. Universities have a duty to ensure that all activities conducted on their premises adhere to the principles of equality and non-discrimination. Turning a blind eye to such practices is nothing short of complicity.
Where is the outrage? Where are the voices of Canadians who believe in fairness, equality, and justice for all? This is not just an issue for white students who are being excluded, it is an issue for everyone who believes in the principles of human rights. Discrimination in any form, against any group, is wrong. It is a stain on our collective conscience and an affront to the values that so many Canadians have fought and died to uphold.
Thousands of Canadians gave their lives in the fight against tyranny and oppression during the World Wars. They fought for a world where people would not be judged or excluded based on their race or ethnicity. To see such exclusion now being practised in our own country, under the banner of progressivism, is not only heartbreaking but also deeply shameful.
As Canadians, we must ask ourselves: how did we get here? How did we allow such blatant discrimination to take root in our institutions of higher learning? And more importantly, what are we going to do about it? It is not enough to shake our heads in disapproval or to post our frustrations on social media. We need action.
The Manitoba Human Rights Commission must investigate this matter to determine whether the UWSA’s policy violates the Human Rights Code. If it does, immediate steps must be taken to rectify the situation. The University of Winnipeg’s administration must also take a stand. It is not enough to pass the buck to the UWSA. They must assert their authority and ensure that all spaces on their campus are open to every student, regardless of race.
This issue is about more than just one lounge or one university. It is about the kind of society we want to build. Do we want a society where people are judged and divided based on the colour of their skin? Or do we want a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and where diversity is celebrated as a strength rather than used as a tool for exclusion?
The answer should be clear. Discrimination has no place in Canada, in Manitoba, or at the University of Winnipeg. It is time for all of us to stand up and say so. Enough is enough.
— Kevin Klein is a former Tory cabinet minister, a former city councillor and President & CEO of Klein Group Ltd.
