The Saskatoon Tribal Council, Muskoday First Nation and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) are condemning a sign that was hung by an individual on the Muskoday Bridge Wednesday morning.
It read, ‘White lives matter too. Who else is gonna work and pay taxes so you can sit on your (expletive).’
Along with the sign, the individual also hung a pair of large black sneakers.
Muskoday Chief Ava Bear said it was a ‘disgusting’ act and proof that ‘ignorance played a key role.’
“This individual needs our prayers. We are working on reconciliation and to have someone with the audacity to do something like that, its blatant racism. They did this in the light of day,” Bear said.
The Muskoday bridge had previously been transformed into a memorial with 215 pairs of shoes hung from the structure over Highway 3 following the residential school findings in Kamloops, B.C.
Bear said it was a mockery that the individual who wrote the sign also chose to hang a pair of shoes.
“Everyone knows its the symbolism that has been used for the recovery of hundreds of children’s bodies across Canada and we know there will still be more,” she said. “To me its disgusting that this individual, this male would hang these shoes.”
Witnesses who saw the man hanging the sign reported his description and the vehicle he was driving to police. Bear said she wasn’t sure if the incident qualified technically as a hate crime and she was waiting to hear back from the RCMP.
In an email to paNOW, Saskatchewan RCMP said, “We can confirm the Prince Albert RCMP Detachment received a complaint related to this incident shortly after noon today. It was reported that the sign and shoes were placed on the bridge between 9 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. today. This investigation is still in its early stages and we encourage anyone with information about this incident to report it to Prince Albert RCMP at 306-765-5501 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.”
Meanwhile, FSIN Second Vice-Chief Dave Pratt said they strongly condemn the sign and are calling for police to thoroughly investigate the matter and hold the individual accountable.
“Its disrespectful for Muskoday First Nation and their people, especially survivors who have been re-triggered in recent days with the discovery of bodies, but its also triggering within the whole Saskatoon Tribal Council. A lot of people are hurting right now and dealing with pain and grief and sorrow,” Pratt said.
Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand said the general public needed to be made aware of the sign as proof that hatred and racism still exists in 2021.
“Its deplorable. Its unacceptable,” said Arcand. “Based on the ignorance, we have an opportunity to help this person deal with whatever he’s dealing with in a proper way because this is not reconciliation. This is promoting hatred towards Indigenous people. Every life matters and when we still hear things like First Nations people don’t pay taxes, its totally unacceptable. This is going too far.”
Arcand, Pratt and Bear all made comments suggesting ways to turn the negative incident into a positive, primarily through education and countering negative stereotypes and misconceptions like Indigenous people not paying taxes, getting free housing or education.
“I think what mainstream society really needs to realize is these are treaty benefits and they come with the agreement to share with the land,” said Pratt. “So, I think more education upon the treaties and what the treaties entail is important….but I also think an anti-racism strategy developed in co-partnership with the province would go a long way in facing the racism Indigenous people continue to face.”
While Bear would like an apology from the man who hung the sign, she also sent an open invitation to him to stand with the First Nation.
“I’d like this individual to try and understand. Maybe attend some of our ceremonies or come and have tea with us and get to know us. I think this individual must not really know who we are at all.”
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teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com
On Twitter: @MonteleoneTeena
