Diversity Institute and Yinka Law founders honoured with Spirit of Schlifer Awards for their efforts to end gender-based violence

Dr. Wendy Cukier, the founder and academic director of the Diversity Institute, and Oyeyinka Oyelowo, a lawyer and the founder of Yinka Law (external link) , each received the Spirit of Schlifer award on April 26, 2023. Oyelowo was recognized for her work in creating a civil litigation firm dedicated to advocating for the eradication of anti-Black racism and the advancement of equality rights. Cukier was given the award in recognition of her efforts spanning several decades to combat gender-based violence through her advocacy for stricter gun control laws. 

The Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (external link) , an organization providing legal services and trauma-informed counseling to diverse women who have experienced violence, established this annual award in 2012. The Spirit of Schlifer Award (external link)  acknowledges exceptional dedication to preventing gender-based violence and supporting all women, including cisgender, transgender, intersex, Two-spirit and gender-nonconforming individuals.

Deepa Mattoo, executive director of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, hosted the awards event at the Centre for Social Innovation and congratulated the recipients while acknowledging the teams behind them. 

"We're actually recognizing their [Oyelowo and Cukier’s] work, but we're also recognizing the village of people who support them," Mattoo said.

In her acceptance speech, Cukier expressed her appreciation to the clinic for their unwavering support, recognizing their instrumental role in advocating for and defending gun control legislation. “The clinic was at the forefront of, not just the advocacy for the gun control law, but also the defence of it,” Cukier said.

She recounted the tragic events of nearly 35 years ago when a man fueled by misogyny entered Polytechnique Montréal and shot 28 people, killing 14 young women. This incident of gender-based violence served as a catalyst for Cukier's founding of the Coalition for Gun Control (external link) , which is made up of over 200 organizations from various sectors, including health, crime prevention, victim support, public safety, women's rights and community groups across Canada.

Cukier highlighted data from the Femicide Observatory (external link) , which found that firearms are the most commonly used weapons to perpetrate violence against women. Furthermore, the use of guns often leads to the deaths not only of women but also of their children. 

“If we don’t address violence against women, if we don’t ensure that children grow up in safe homes, we are not going to have the society that anyone wants to live in,” she said. 

Reflecting on the recent third anniversary of the Nova Scotia mass shooting, which killed 22 people and was the deadliest in Canada's civilian history, Cukier acknowledged the long road ahead. The Coalition for Gun Control had standing at the Mass Casualty Commission which heard from hundreds of experts with thousands of pages of testimony, she said. She noted that Bill C-21, currently before the Senate, is aligned with the Coalition of Gun Control's recommendations to the commission. 

Bill C-21 emphasizes better firearms control at borders, better screening and processes to remove firearms from people who are a risk to themselves or others, and a freeze on the import, sale and transfer of handguns, she said. It also recommends a ban and buyback of semi-automatic military-style firearms like the Ruger Mini-14, which was used in the Montreal massacre, and the AR-15-style rifle.

Cukier urged the audience to call their local members of parliament, highlighting that while most Canadians support stronger gun control, they don’t act on it. She concluded her speech by saying that she accepts the award with hope, and with a steadfast determination to hold government and policymakers accountable for turning words into actions to prevent gender-based violence.

Cukier shared the spotlight with Oyelowo, a lawyer and the founder of Yinka Law (external link) , a civil litigation firm dedicated to advocating for the eradication of anti-Black racism and the advancement of equality rights. Oyelowo was recognized with the award for her strong commitment to the rights of working people and robust understanding of criminal law, administrative law, and employment and labour law. 

Oyelowo said her work primarily focuses on combating gender-based violence and workplace harassment, driven by the reality that women often face discrimination and miss out on opportunities. Through her involvement in initiating claims and litigation, advocating for policy change and engaging with global leaders, she strives to advance equality.

“The notion of injustice is nauseating to me and that is why I am so grateful to be honoured with this award,” she said. She concluded by saying it’s a fight she’ll continue to battle until it is solved.