Equality not just for privileged
By John Mohan

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was designed to recognize our basic rights, including our right to equality. For most of society, the charter works well in its attempt to create a civil and just society. However, having "equal rights and freedoms" doesn't automatically translate into true equality in life.

Disparity of treatment can be as sinister as someone's ability to afford a good lawyer or to navigate complex, bureaucratic government departments. Disparity of opportunity can range from limited education to physical or mental handicaps without the benefit of having a knowledgeable advocate. Sometimes inequality is simply a matter of being prohibited from accessing a restricted place without proper authorization.

As part of a year-end family trip to Alberta, my eldest son Chris and I made plans to go to an NHL hockey game in Calgary. (We're both Flames fans.) With the game date selected, I e-mailed a Siloam Mission volunteer to see if he might be in Calgary at the same time. The volunteer is Scott Oake, best known for his hosting role on Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC). He and his wife Anne are among our most enthusiastic and compassionate weekly volunteers.

Scott confirmed he was doing the HNIC broadcast of the Calgary-Anaheim game and then offered something unexpected: media passes that would give my son and me a behind-the-scenes view of the hockey game and the entire HNIC production!

FASCINATING EXPERIENCE

When we arrived at the Saddledome on Dec. 29, a man came to our seats, introduced himself as Gerry and took us to meet Scott for the pre-game show. At ice level, we saw Scott signing autographs and getting ready to go on air ... but he paused long enough to greet us and introduce us to his co-host, former NHL goalie Kelly Hrudey.

Chris and I then shifted out of the way and into the background, but Scott invited us back, closer to the ice. As we watched the referees and linesmen walk past, the Flames hit the ice a few feet away from us and the anthem singers come out, I thought, "I'm in a restricted area and I'm not supposed to be here."

The entire evening was a fascinating experience. At no time did anyone we met ever make us feel unwelcome or unwanted. Scott graciously introduced us to everyone in his vicinity, explaining who we were, what Siloam Mission is and talking about Siloam's work with Winnipeg's less fortunate.

The evening was a rare experience of unrestricted accesses. If anybody at the game would have known our privileges, they would have looked at us with envy.

Sadly, the poor and homeless of our community look at most of us who enjoy and assume equal opportunity and equal treatment with the same envy.

In contrast, they often experience the daily reality of "restricted access," of being marginalized, unheard and unwanted. Business owners won't permit them to use the washrooms. Guarded public entry ways prohibit them from staying long enough to warm up. Church greeters take extra precautions if they come during worship services -- just in case. Hardly the characteristics of a civil and just society.

Restricted access to a hockey game is one thing, restricted access in life is something completely different. It demoralizes people, reinforces poverty and homelessness and cheapens us as a society.

I know we can do better.

It can start with something simple ... with simply recognizing the fact that some people have to work harder than others to have equal opportunity and equal treatment. Because equality is something we all deserve.

Originally printed in the Winnipeg Sun, Wednesday, January 9, 2008.
Reprinted with the permission of Sun Media Corporation.