Human Rights In Alberta:
Fact or Fiction?
This powerful film chronicles the shameful human rights history in Alberta and highlights the positive efforts taken to overcome the toxicity inherent in a society where prejudice and discrimination are pervasive.
The documentary expresses concerns over the rise in attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Alberta and recommends steps that must be taken to overcome the negative treatment experienced by Albertans from minority groups.
In 2024, Dignity Forum commissioned a documentary about the past, present and future of human rights legislation in Alberta. Over the past century, many notable human rights cases that have gone before the Supreme Court of Canada had their origins in Alberta — from the gay marriage of the Vriend case to antisemitism in the Keegstra case. These were all cases that set a new precedent for human rights legislation in our country. We hope that this documentary can educate Albertans about where we came from, how we were once leaders in human rights protections, and how far we have detoured from the original intentions of the individual's Rights Protection Act under the Lougheed government in 1972.
“It really is an educational piece in the sense that it traces the history of human rights in Alberta right up to the present day,” said Ron Ghitter, chair of the Dignity Forum and former MLA and senator. “Much of our history is nothing to be proud of.”
Directed by Rob Kelly
Produced by Ron Ghitter & Rob Kelly
Credits
Directed by
Rob Kelly
Produced by
Ron Ghitter
Rob Kelly
Separate Board
Shaggy Asomugha
Dominique Clément, BA(H), MA, PhD
Phil Fontaine
Ron Ghitter
Rabbi Mark Glickman
Ayesha Islam
Teya Jensen
Kaitlin Khubyar
Kathleen Mahoney, KC, FRSC
Quinn Mahoney
Robert Philp
Mike Shaikh
Elder Doreen Spence
Director of Photgraphy
Ryan Hollings
Editor
Jason Stinson
Sound Supervisor/Mix
Dewi Wood - Infinite Loop
Graphics
Gerry Fournier
Project Manager
Amy Lippold
Archival Producer
Juan Andrés Bello
Research Assistant
Kelsey Dellosa
Madeleine McMillan
Víctor Acosta
Drone Operations
BlackHawk Aeronautical
2nd Camera
Craig Van Horne
Location Audio
Frank Russo
Sponsors
Al Osten
Dignity Forum
Ron Ghitter
Special thanks:
The Dignity Forum
Sheena Rossiter
Calgary Public Library
Terra Vista
Archival Material Courtesy of:
Alamy
Associated Press
Bell Media/CTV News
Bridgeman Images
CBC Archives
Kinolibrary
Library and Archives Canada
National Film Board
Rogers Media Inc
The Canadian Press
United Nations Audiovisual Library
Visual History TV
Additional Archival Material:
Access Conference
Band Gallery
Brian Hardy
CBS - KPIX
City of Edmonton Archives
Dignity Forum
Drake University
Fort McMurray Today
Glenbow Museum
The Calgary Herald
The Edmonton Journal
The Ottawa Citizen
Provincial Archives of Alberta
University of Alberta Archives
University of Calgary Digital Collections
US Library of Congress
US National Archives
Separate Board
A Kelly Brothers Production
