Do some reading and deeper thinking

DEAR EDITOR:

Re: “Councillor questions protection of ‘colonial’ heritage” (Herald, Feb. 9).

Coun. Isaac Gilbert’s notion that preserving the Cherryland neighbourhood amounts to preserving the colonial past is very simplistic. Is he arguing that no settler history should be preserved? If so, how does that help Indigenous folks?

How does tearing down the houses that were built over multiple generations — Tom Ellis’s homestead is long gone — narrowing Windsor Ave, and putting up multi-unit housing that will densify the street going to address colonialism, class and, to Coun. Campbell Watt’s point “elitism” (whatever that means—is owning a single family home de facto elitist)? Do they think there’s an equivalence between preserving a neighbourhood that has multiple histories and preserving racist monuments? Because there is not.

What are these two councillors doing that concretely and substantively addresses these issues? Because thinking you’re doing so by supporting development projects is patently absurd. All of Penticton is built on indigenous land, so taking apart one neighbourhood isn’t going to do a thing to address colonialism or move us towards reconciliation. Now if they were talking about giving land back, that would be another thing.

I wish these two councillors had had the courage to speak up during the public hearing on the Bogner’s development, which happened shortly after they voted down the Cherryland proposal. They stayed utterly silent on their views about “colonialism” and “elitism” while a large number of people spoke about history and preservation of the area. Cowards.

If you want to debate subjects as complex as these, do some reading and deeper thinking, and be willing to express your views when the public has an opportunity to counter them.

Susan Fast Penticton