Elected officials in the Cowichan Valley have taken to social media to condemn racism in the wake of a COVID-19 outbreak among Cowichan Tribes.
North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring and Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau are among those who have voiced their disgust with social media posts and behaviour towards members of Cowichan Tribes after the First Nation experienced a surge in cases this month.
含羞草研究社滱s you will know, I spend a fair bit of time on social media, and I含羞草研究社檝e been extremely concerned with some of the posts I含羞草研究社檝e been seeing in the past few days with respect to the COVID outbreak among the Cowichan Tribes community,含羞草研究社� Siebring wrote in a post on his public page on Sunday, Jan. 10. 含羞草研究社淥K含羞草研究社� I含羞草研究社檓 beyond 含羞草研究社榚xtremely concerned.含羞草研究社� I含羞草研究社檓 disappointed. And I含羞草研究社檓 pissed off.
含羞草研究社淪ome of the posts I含羞草研究社檝e seen are vile; filled with racism and an 含羞草研究社榰s/them含羞草研究社� mentality. They are fear-based, and they are inappropriate.含羞草研究社�
Chief and council imposed a shelter in place order for Tribes members until Jan. 22. The First Nations Health Authority said the case countwas 45 as of Saturday.
Siebring noted the response from the broader community has included demands that off-reserve employers fire any First Nations workers based on their membership in Cowichan Tribes.
含羞草研究社淭hat, folks, is racism,含羞草研究社� he wrote. 含羞草研究社淧lain and simple. And it含羞草研究社檚 wrong.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淏ecause here含羞草研究社檚 the thing. Tribes is being completely transparent about their numbers 含羞草研究社� far moreso than Island Health. The FNHA has the authority to be this specific and transparent on cases, locations, etc., while the rest of us, (including non-First Nations elected officials) don含羞草研究社檛 even know specifically where cases are unless we hear from specific institutions like Superstore or the Chemainus High School.含羞草研究社�
Siebring lamented that Cowichan Tribes含羞草研究社� transparency is being rewarded with racist rhetoric and demands for segregation. He also pointed out that COVID-19 was in the Cowichan Valley long before the outbreak in Cowichan Tribes was announced.
含羞草研究社淏ut here含羞草研究社檚 the thing,含羞草研究社� he wrote. 含羞草研究社淔or 10 months, COVID was present in the non-First Nations community. The first case among Cowichan Tribes wasn含羞草研究社檛 identified until New Year含羞草研究社檚 Day. But NOT ONCE during that 10-month period did we ever hear of Tribes members looking at every non-indigenous person with the assumption that they had COVID. We didn含羞草研究社檛 hear any calls for all white people to stay away from their jobs until the pandemic is over. I didn含羞草研究社檛 see a single social media post or news article where Cowichan Tribes members were complaining that it was 含羞草研究社榯hose white people含羞草研究社� who were spreading the virus all over the Island.
含羞草研究社淎nd yet, now that the numbers have changed, that含羞草研究社檚 the kind of rhetoric we含羞草研究社檙e starting to see. Folks, we are better than this. And it has to stop.含羞草研究社�
The mayor acknowledged that his words echoed those posted by Cowichan Tribes councillor Stephanie Atleo a day earlier.
含羞草研究社淣ot once during this did we look at every non-indigenous person and assume you had COVID,含羞草研究社� Atleo had written. 含羞草研究社淲e did not tell any of you to come back to work or to our businesses when the pandemic is over. Not once did we comment on any news article about the spread and say 含羞草研究社榦h those 含羞草研究社渨hite含羞草研究社� people are spreading it on the Island!含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Furstenau asked the wider community to 含羞草研究社渟how humanity in their interactions with Cowichan Tribes members as they navigate this scary and dangerous time.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲hen the news broke that cases were on the reserve, and the shelter-in-place order was issued, my first thought was to the health of the elders, and my second thought was to the reaction of those who still choose to discriminate based on race,含羞草研究社� she wrote.
含羞草研究社淭here is no difference between how these cases are being handled and how the cases in the broader community are being handled 含羞草研究社� with the exception that we know the number of cases.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭here is no room for racism in our collective effort in returning to zero cases in this community. We have two choices as a community right now: to unite in our effort to protect our most vulnerable from this devastating virus, or to turn on our neighbours at the moment they need us most. We are asking you to choose to be united, and encourage others who may be reacting in fear to do the same. We have done it before and there has never been a more critical time to do it again.含羞草研究社�
Cowichan Tribes councillor Stuart Pagaduan also put out a call for unity in a post to his personal Facebook page that was shared more than 100 times.
含羞草研究社淩ather than focus on the ignorance and hatred of people in our community let含羞草研究社檚 acknowledge and celebrate the friendships we already have. In the School District and as a councillor I含羞草研究社檝e had the privilege to meet some beautiful people over the years. These people are not Indigenous but I choose to call them my friends and esteemed colleagues. I feel the need to stand up and push back against all the discrimination and ugliness. I have many good friends out there and we need to hear your voice and opinion. Thank you for taking the time to understand our community and history of our people.含羞草研究社�
For more news from Vancouver Island and beyond delivered daily into your inbox, please
