People who helped name bridge in Saskatoon endured racism, panel hears
SASKATOON Naming a new Saskatoon bridge to honour Indigenous heritage heralded a new era for city hall, but the people involved also encountered racism, a city council committee heard.
The process for naming the new Chief Mistawasis Bridge entailed an unprecedented level of community engagement and also involved the Indigenous community.
The name for the new north bridge, scheduled to open for vehicle traffic in October, was announced in June after months of consultations on four finalists.
Mistawasis, also known as Pierre Belanger, was the Cree chief who helped negotiate and signed Treaty 6. The aim of the bridge-naming procedure was to find a way to honour Indigenous heritage in line with the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“I think this just shows us we’re ready for the next step,” Coun. Troy Davies told the planning, development and community services committee on Monday.
Davies said the involvement of Indigenous leaders proved invaluable for the naming process, since city council does not have the necessary background.
However, Mayor Charlie Clark noted those who served on the special committee formed to determine the name endured “racist attacks” because of their involvement.
Coun. Darren Hill said he saved racist remarks related to the bridge naming on social media that showed “the volume of racism that exists.”
Shirley Isbister, president of the Central Urban Metis Federation Inc., who was involved in the naming of the bridge, said the naming process intentionally placed an emphasis on education.
“That’s one of our biggest challenges with racism is that people are not educated,” Isbister told the committee.
Those who submitted suggestions for the bridge name were asked to include an explanation of why they thought the name was relevant. The community submitted 460 suggestions.
The city’s director of Aboriginal relations, Gilles Dorval, called the experience a “good communitybuilding process,” despite some of the ugliness.
The city narrowed the submissions down to four names in February, including Metis leader and revolutionary Louis Riel, and two Cree words: waniska (to arise) and wichitowin (to help mutually).
Isbister said First Nations elder Walter Linklater, who died earlier this month at 79, played a key role in guiding the process.
Clark praised his commitment, saying he noticed Linklater’s failing health at meetings to determine the bridge name.
An official date for the opening of the Chief Mistawasis Bridge has not yet been finalized, but it is expected to open in early October along with the rebuilt downtown Traffic Bridge.
That’s one of our biggest challenges with racism is that people are not educated.