EmpowerMen

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day!

Today’s the day to appreciate all the dads out there, particularly those offering a healthy and positive example for the next generation of men and boys. Have a great day, dads! 👨

As we’ve noted, this also happens to be National Indigenous People’s Day, so there are plenty of opportunities for celebration across the country (and the Indigenous dads out there are doubly honored!)

06/19/2026

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day!

This Sunday, we honor the cultures, traditions, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people across the country. While this is a time of celebration, it’s also an opportunity to forward reconciliation, relationships, and positive action, which EmpowerMen always endeavors to support through our work.

National Indigenous Peoples Day has really become an entire weekend of celebration, with plenty of fun happening on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Here are just a few things you can check out around Winnipeg:

June 19 – Hey Cuzzin – A free breakfast and celebration in the West Broadway area 🙌🏽 https://events.humanitix.com/hey-cuzzin
June 20 – Assiniboine Park – A day of events and entertainment centered around The Leaf gardens 🍂 https://www.assiniboinepark.ca/events/event/172
June 21 – The Forks – The biggest event of the weekend, featuring the Wáhkóhtowin Powwow and more 👉 https://www.theforks.com/blog/518/gather-learn-and-celebrate-national-indigenous-peoples-day-at-the-forks
If you’re outside of Winnipeg, Canadian Heritage maintains a list of National Indigenous Peoples Day events from across the country 📍https://bit.ly/3ShzEgS

06/08/2026

Raising boys today can be a unique challenge.

We all want to raise our boys to be kind, confident, and respectful, but sometimes it feels like society, particularly online forces, makes it harder than ever. White Ribbon has launched a new website – raisingboys.ca – which provides information on an array of subjects, including navigating masculinity, healthy relationships, the “Manosphere,” avoiding s*xtortion and exploitation, and more.

These are exactly the types of subjects that EmpowerMen tackles in our Youth Workshops. If you’re interested in bringing our workshops to your school or organization, you can find more information here 👉 https://empowermen.ca/youth-engagement-workshops

06/05/2026

June is also Men’s Health Month!

A lot of things are being honored in June, including Men’s Health Month! Appropriately, earlier this week it was announced that the public engagement process for Canada's first Men and Boys' Health Strategy was now complete. The survey we’ve linked to previously has been completed over 5000 times, providing a better understanding of the factors that shape the health and well-being of men and boys.

EmpowerMen has directly participated in roundtable discussions on the Men and Boys’ Health Strategy. We highlighted the need for concrete actions to increase the wellbeing of men, while also focussing on men's role in reducing intimate partner violence, s*xual exploitation, and trafficking. Care leads to care -- healthy men tend to make healthier decisions that benefit their communities.

Here’s more information on Canada’s Men and Boys’ Health Strategy 👉 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/healthy-living/improving-health-men-canada.html

Check out Movember’s “The Real Face of Men’s Health” report here 🚑 https://bit.ly/4fmdpQl

06/04/2026

06/01/2026

June is here, the weather is lovely, and plenty is going on!

June is Indigenous History Month, an opportunity to recognize the rich heritage and invaluable contributions of First Nations people here in Canada. June is also Pride Month in Manitoba, a time of joy and recognition that kicks off an entire season of celebration. Of course, the anti-exploitation work we do here at EmpowerMen intersects with both the Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in crucial ways and we join in celebrating the history and resilience of both communities.

REMINDER! June 1 is also the last day to fill out the Health Canada Men and Boys' Health Strategy questionnaire! This survey will help shape how the government responds to issues specifically affecting men, so take a few minutes to make your voice heard 👉 https://healthcanada.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_emureWshxybgH0W

We appreciate everyone who follows EmpowerMen and helps spread our message. We hope you’re all feeling fresh and inspired as we head into summer!

05/28/2026

EmpowerMen making new connections in Calgary!

Earlier this week, EmpowerMen attended the "Beyond Boundaries -- Collaborating for Collective Action” conference in Calgary. Organized by the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology, the event focused on how to increase the representation of women in SETT fields.

The presentations were inspiring and the networking across sectors was remarkable. We were particularly grateful for the panel discussion presented by White Ribbon Campaign focused on male allyship and the role men have in effecting change in this and other sectors.

05/22/2026

It was a busy week for EmpowerMen’s Community Trainings!

On Tuesday, we held a parent-focused presentation on online safety in Lac du Bonnet, where we covered topics such as popular apps and platforms youth are currently using, online risks like s*xtortion, grooming, and exploitation, and ways parents can have open, supportive conversations with youth about online behaviour. We also discussed realistic and respectful ways to monitor online activity, as well as where families can go for help and support if something happens online.

We’re planning to make these trainings for parents and other adults who work with youth a larger focus going forward. If you think your school or organisation would benefit from one of these presentations, reach out to our Youth Facilitator Alexis Delaurier at [email protected] for more details.

On Thursday, we also held one of our regular Community Trainings at our offices at 445 King Street. As always, EmpowerMen was joined by representatives from law enforcement, Klinic Community Health, the Province of Manitoba’s StreetReach Program, and a lived-experience speaker to give attendees the tools to recognize, engage with, and safely support victims of trafficking and exploitation.

Are you interested in attending a session or setting up a training opportunity for your workplace? You can learn more about our Community Trainings here 👉 https://empowermen.ca/community-training-sessions

05/13/2026

Canada needs a standardized nationwide approach to Human Trafficking.

Did you know only five provinces have enacted laws to combat human trafficking (Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan)? And even amongst those provinces with specific laws, their approaches vary quite significantly?

In a new article on the LawNow website, Dr. John Winterdyk, Tonia Tsoulamanis, and EmpowerMen’s own Hennes Doltze lay out the differences in provincial laws and call for greater uniformity between provinces when it comes to dealing with this issue. You can read the article for yourself here 👉 https://www.lawnow.org/united-we-stand-divided-we-stumble-canadas-provincial-legal-responses-to-human-trafficking

Canada is making strides to address human trafficking, but until we close the gaps in our laws, exploiters are going to find a way through.

05/12/2026

We couldn’t do what we do without our partners!

EmpowerMen is a small team, but we punch above our weight, partly because of all the help we get from our many partners from different sectors and backgrounds, including survivors, law enforcement, healthcare, frontline workers, other non-profit organizations, and more. As we do every year, we recently had an appreciation lunch for some of our closest friends and allies, just to express our gratitude for everything they do.

You’re all truly valued, not just for the help you lend us, but for the crucial work you do day in and day out! Thank you!