Winnipeg Facebook group offers safe rides to aboriginal women

Jackie Traverse decided she had to do something after hearingstory after story about aboriginal women dealing with racism or rude behaviour in Winnipeg taxis.

Traverse, anartist, turnedto social media, creating "Boycott all Winnipeg Taxi Companies" and "Ikwe (Women helping women safe ride)" pages on Facebook on theweekend.

Ikweis a ride-sharing group that so far has close to a dozen women signed up to give rides.

• Frightening cab ride has Winnipeg woman warning others

Traverse said she's had her own issues with cab drivers, andshe's heard more and more stories from other aboriginal women.

"They're rude to us, they demand payment as soon as we sit in or they yell at us, they think we don't have money. They feel we're all trying to rob them or ditch out on the cabs," said Traverse, 46.

Crystal Anderson said she, too, has hadsimilarlyracially-chargedexperiences taking cabs in Winnipeg. Anderson signedupto be avolunteerdriver with the groupbecause she wants to provideindigenous women with an added sense of safety.

"Some of these women don't have help, so I want tojust pass it on, pay it forwardand let them know that there is people out there [who] care," she said.

Trouble getting a cab

Beyond the issues indigenous women face once they arrive in some cabs in the city, Traverse said sometimesit's challengingto even get a cab in the first place.

"No cab would take me.I was walking down the street with my money out in my hand trying to find a cab, to show them that I had money. Sometimes that's the only way a cab will stop is if you hold your money with both hands in front of you. So I ended up walking home, which took me an hour, and it was really bitterly cold that night. Twenty cabs must have driven by me that night, and I couldn't get a cab," Traverse said.

We want indigenous women to feel safe whenever they take a cab-LucLewandosk

There was some talk of creating a taxi service for aboriginal women only, or an Uber-type service, but it was too expensive, Traverse said.

"We don't have money to do things. What about Safe Ride? Ride Share? That's not illegal. People carpool every day," Traverse said.

She has not contacted the Taxicab Board or other regulatory bodies about what such a ride service would require.

"I'm done with asking for permission to look after our women. We shouldn't have to ask for permission to look after our own. I don't think there's a legal thing with offering a ride. How could that be illegal?" Traverse said.

Payment would be worked out between the driver and the passenger.Traverse said it could range from money for gasto a coffee to $5 to$10per ride.

Neechi Rides

The movement comes shortly afterPernellFlettstarted a safe ride service for indigenous people.

• Too dangerous to take cabs in Winnipeg, says founder of Neechi Rides

Traverse said she appreciates what he is doing, but one person isn't enough, and some women might not want to take a ride with a stranger.

"It's mainly women because I wanted it to be a woman's page, because we want to keep our girls safe. We know the percentage of women who are going missing, women and girls that are going missing on the streets. We want to try and keep our women safe."

David Sanders, chair of the Manitoba Taxicab Board, said last week that he has heard a number of sexual harassment complaints and drivers' licences have been suspended. It's an issue the board takes seriously, he said, adding he encouragesriders to lodge formal complaints.

'We want indigenous women to feel safe'

Luc Lewandoski with the Winnipeg Taxi Alliance agrees, addinghetakes concerns raised by Traverse and others seriously.

"We want indigenous women to feel safe whenever they take a cab," he said.

"We know when it comes to the indigenous populations, there's been members of the community that have met with the Manitoba Taxi Cab Board. The Winnipeg Taxi Alliance certainly would be open to meeting as well, and it's something I think that we're going to pursue over the next couple of weeks,partially stemming from the recent activity and the recent stories."

Drivers are updating training on handling accessibility issues in the next year, and that's an opportunity for the Taxicab Board tosensitizedrivers to the issues specifically faced byindigenous riders, Sandersadded.

A meeting is being heldat theMa Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre at445 King St.to discuss the issue of taxis at 7 p.m. Monday.