闯辞测别耻虫听辫谤颈苍迟别尘辫蝉!聽Happy Spring! This is the season of聽nature鈥檚 rebirth. You do not need to be a nature lover to appreciate the聽blooming of spring flowers and longer hours of daylight and sun. And while the avid winter sports lovers聽might lament the disappearance of snow (well,聽almost), most of us look forward聽to thinner coats and聽wearing something other than snow boots.聽聽
April is also a month of holidays. Whether you are celebrating聽Easter, Passover or Ramadan, I wish you a peaceful聽and joyous time with family, friends and your community 鈥� even at a social distance.聽It is difficult to get into the mood for celebrations聽when there is a good chance that you will聽be聽sitting on one side of a video screen once聽again or far apart from your loved ones. But聽I do hope you take some time to reflect and rejoice.聽
We are still in the throes of the pandemic,聽and we must remain vigilant for some time to come. And yet there is hope here too. More and more people are able to access vaccines. If you have concerns or questions about the benefit of vaccinations, please do consult with your physicians, pharmacists, or others.聽This聽is each individual鈥檚 personal choice. You may have聽concerns聽about the relative effectiveness and benefit of vaccines. For me personally, the fact that these vaccines will reduce the likelihood of death聽-聽either my own or others聽-聽significantly, is the most important聽factor for聽getting vaccinated.聽聽
While hope聽beckons,聽we must also do what we can to build a healthier community and society. This includes a redoubled focus on聽equity, diversity,聽inclusion聽(EDI)聽and anti-racism.聽Individuals of Asian and African descent, First Nations, Inuit,聽and聽M茅tis peoples聽continue to face聽systemic聽discrimination, aggression and hatred.聽People聽-聽including members of our community聽-聽are targeted for their religious beliefs or聽singled out and even excluded from opportunities聽for the language they speak,聽or聽their聽cultural heritage. This is unacceptable!聽聽
For this reason, I am creating a聽standing,聽schoolwide聽working聽group聽to lead聽refinement and implementation of聽an聽EDI and anti-racism plan.聽The聽group鈥檚 membership聽(which will have several specialized聽subcommittees)聽will be announced聽later this month. We聽will聽focus a series of virtual townhalls on these difficult聽but essential questions聽(details coming soon) and聽we聽are聽creating a dedicated website with resources and a statement of principles聽for your benefit and information.聽An inclusive workplace and learning environment聽is聽essential for all of our success and well-being. It is not a 鈥渘ice-to-have鈥� but a 鈥渕ust-have.鈥澛燱e cannot shy away from difficult聽and courageous conversations with one another.聽Each one of us has a responsibility to do our part to ensure that no member of our community and the community at large is excluded from opportunity.聽
As you celebrate聽spring and the holidays, please take a moment to reflect on聽this serious work ahead of us.聽This聽is a聽lifelong journey聽which we must undertake聽together. Let us travel in peace but ready to take action.聽聽聽