Candidate wasn’t only supported by one segment of the city

LETTERS

I am writing in response to words you attributed to the reelected mayor, Chris Spearman, in your post-election coverage on Oct. 17. “At the same time, we have to recognize 25 per cent of the people voting have some level of dissatisfaction,” he said. “I think Mr. Janzen represents seniors on fixed income and I think Mr. Heavy Head represents some of our Indigenous people. We need to make sure we’re meeting the needs of those segments of our community and we’re going to try to do that moving forward.”

Mayor Spearman commits a grave injustice and reinforces social and racialized divisions in presuming that Mr. Heavy Head represents only some of our “Indigenous Peoples.”

First Spearman assumes the Indigenous peoples are “ours,” which is at best a careless insult to our fellow citizens. Furthermore, at no time in his campaign did Mr. Heavy Head present this position; in fact, he did the contrary quite clearly in speaking broadly and eloquently on issues of significance to all of Lethbridge’s citizens.

To imply he was narrowly supported only by one segment of our city is disrespectful and disingenuous. I am proud to voice my support for Mr. Heavy Head and extend my appreciation to him for bringing a new and significant perspective to our local politics.

Jo-Anne Fiske

Professor Emerita Women and Gender Studies University of Lethbridge