Letters: University of Sask. ex-president wrong on racism

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As a person who has lived in Saskatchewan most of my 65 years, I am shocked and saddened by the op-ed penned by the former president of the University of Saskatchewan. He claims that the mandatory anti-racism training for faculty is “propaganda” and not evidence based.

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I am aware that many people resist believing that what was inflicted on Indigenous people was genocide. And, yet, we see the ongoing generational damage and racism that white settlers brought to them.

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We see the evidence of these harms on our streets, in our foster care system, in our courts that allow white-collar crime to be excused, and send those unable to pay for lawyers to jail.

We can listen to podcasts by people like journalist Connie Walker (Finding Cleo is an example of her excellent reporting), who investigate the terrible effects of past and ongoing racism.

I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to become educated about this suffering, and my own privilege. I grew up on stolen land. I am glad that students are now learning more correct history in our public system, and that an Indigenous studies class must be a part of achieving a degree.

I am so disheartened that people in positions of authority and power continue to resist making our communities safer and more respectful for all, not just those of us who were born white and therefore born into privilege.

I am grateful that there have been highly educated and courageous people that have carefully created educational opportunities. I hope that people will embrace mandatory education as a continuing learning opportunity and another layer of understanding towards truth and reconciliation.

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Joan Stephens, Saskatoon

Election fair, but West gripes real

I’m 66 years old and I’ve lived in Saskatchewan since I was 13. Goodness knows, I’ve felt my share of Western alienation. I get as angry as any other westerner when the federal government and the people in central Canada ignore the concerns of Western Canadians.

But could everyone please knock it off with that “vote-rich Ontario” phrase that journalists and commentators are using? I’ve never liked that expression.

It implies that Ontario has an unfair advantage over the rest of Canada. It’s representation by population. Remember? If your province has more voters, it gets more seats in Parliament, and that’s how it should be. This is not to suggest that Ottawa is treating the West fairly.

I don’t like Alberta Premier Danielle Smith using the threat of Western separation to try to blackmail Ottawa. I don’t want the West to separate and I definitely don’t want to join the United States. However, the Liberal federal government really needs to start taking Western Canada’s issues seriously.

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The Liberals need to stop treating the West like “the sticks” and Westerners like “hicks.”

Petra Seyffarth, Regina

The letter above was originally published in the Regina Leader-Post.

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