"Know Your Legal Rights": Regent Park Residents Engage in Dialogue for Safer, Informed Communities

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Regent Park residents came together for an important community dialogue focused on safety, awareness, and empowerment. The “Know Your Legal Rights When Interacting with Law Enforcement” workshop, held at 180 Sackville Street, marked the launch of the Safety Awareness and Wellness Workshop Series organized by the Regent Park Safety Network. Co-chaired by community leaders Leonard Swartz and Haidja Abubakar, the Safety Network continues to bring residents, service providers, and advocates together to strengthen collaboration and promote safer neighbourhoods. The workshop was led by Nat Paul, Director of Education at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), who emphasized that understanding legal rights is essential to building community confidence. “Legal education shouldn’t be limited to classrooms — it’s crucial in community spaces and newcomer organizations where people experience these realities firsthand,” Paul said. Participants explored sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms related to police interactions, search and seizure, and due process, helping residents better understand how to assert their rights respectfully and safely. For Regent Park, where many residents come from diverse cultural and newcomer backgrounds, knowing one’s rights is a vital part of creating trust between communities and institutions. The Safety Network’s new workshop series continues this fall, with future sessions exploring wellness, prevention, and community-led safety initiatives. 

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