THE Burnaby Citizens Association on Friday called for a public apology from One Burnaby and its candidates for spreading “false and misleading information” on BCA School Board candidate Mikelle Sasakamoose.
The BCA said in a statement: “Earlier today the One Burnaby campaign released a tweet with false and misleading information. The tweet attacked BCA School Board candidate Mikelle Sasakamoose for campaigning on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“This false attack on a First Nations woman candidate is appalling and is outright lies. This type of political campaigning is racism and has no place in Burnaby. Despite being corrected on the information online, OneBurnaby has refused to take the tweet down.
“As candidates for the Burnaby Citizens Association we stand in solidarity with Mikelle and are calling on One Burnaby and their candidates to issue an immediate retraction and public apology.
“We are attaching Mikelle’s statement below.”
It was signed by Reah Arora, Bill Brassington, Pietro Calendino, Peter Cech, Antara Deb, Sav Dhaliwal, Larry Hayes, Jen Mezei, Alison Gu, Maita Santiago, Kristin Schnider, Daniel Tetrault, James Wang and Gary Wong.
Statement from Mikelle Sasakamoose:
https://twitter.com/
On only the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, OneBurnaby shows how very, very far away we are from advancing reconciliation in this country.
To attack the first Indigenous woman to ever run for any office in Burnaby about a day meant to commemorate the history and inter-generational trauma as a result of vicious colonization against my people, is abhorrent.
I am disgusted at the outright racism displayed by OneBurnaby, it’s staff and it’s candidates by using this day as an opportunity to further traumatize me with their lies.
This is the perfect example of why OneBurnaby candidates will not be good leaders in our community. They have no shame in using 150 years of trauma, of violence, of genocide against an Indigenous woman – for votes.
And, not that it is Mike Hillman, Richard Liu, Richard T. Lee, Brea Huang Sami, Mario Miceli or Mona Grewal’s business how I choose to commemorate the history and trauma of my people and my family, but on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I was witnessing a traditional pipe ceremony at Westminster Pier Park, honouring the children who never returned home from residential schools, the survivors, our families and our communities, with my two youngest daughters and one of their friends. We grabbed some donuts for a treat, we picked up some birthday party favors and snacks for my daughter’s upcoming birthday party, and then ended the day having dinner at Whitespot.
I am here because my grandfather survived genocide. In the spirit of reconciliation, I encourage the OneBurnaby candidates and their team to educate themselves on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the history of residential schools.
As you said, #burnaby deserves to know. #truthandreconciliation
