A Stand Against Racism

St. Mary’s University shares in the sorrow and anger that has erupted in the wake of the death of George Floyd in the US, and the worldwide protests that have followed. This senseless killing is part of a legacy of violence against people of colour and other marginalized citizens. While this specific tragedy has its origin in the United States, this culture of inequality and injustice is not contained by borders. Systemic racism is rampant in Canada and continues to impact the lives of Indigenous peoples, of people of colour and of other members of visible and non-visible minorities.

As a university founded in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, we decry the violence and injustice that continue to impact our community and re-commit to creating, promoting and nurturing an inclusive, safe and equitable environment on our campus. More than this, we strive to empower our students to champion justice and to change our society for the better.

Recognizing that intent needs to be followed by concrete action we can announce that St. Mary’s will be developing a new course on anti-racism through our Indigenous Initiatives program. The President’s Volunteer Team will continue to prioritize action that specifically works alongside other non-profits that provide supports for the city’s most marginalized communities. And we will continue to deliver our Humanities 101 program, which is offered free of charge, to Calgary’s most economically marginalized communities, among many other concrete initiatives.

We can only effect this change together by committing ourselves to true equality for all.

Gerry Turcotte, President,
St. Mary’s University