City of Fort Saskatchewan removes 'Chiefs' sign from downtown

Published Jun 02, 2023 • 2 minute read

The Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs games of the month sign was recently removed from 99 Ave and 101 Street. Photo by Colleen Dollfusz.

“It is time to recognize that the small things matter.”

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On Thursday, May 25, the sign at the intersection of 99 Ave and 101 Street advertising the Fort Saskatchewan Senior AA Chiefs hockey games of the month was removed by the City.

Colleen Dollfusz of the Fort Saskatchewan Indigenous Society says that the downtown sign’s caricature depiction of Indigenous cultural elements was harmful to the community.

“Not every person is okay with having a Chief’s sign that is derogatory,” said Dollfusz. “We no longer want to be seen as a cartoon or mascot. We need to start being seen as human.”

“Seeing the Chiefs sign every time you drive into the downtown core is triggering to some people,” continued Dollfusz. “I have talked with many community members about the sign, and many have disliked the sign being in their community. They have always disliked the name of the team. I know there will be some community members who will be upset over this change, but the team has not been playing for 2 plus years.”

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Fort Saskatchewan is not the first municipality to shift away from using offensive Indigenous names and symbols to represent their sports teams; in 2021 the Cleveland Indians baseball team became the Cleveland Guardians, the Washington Redskins became the Washington Commanders in 2022, and closer to home the Edmonton Eskimos changed their name to the Edmonton Elks in 2021.

“Change is hard for some people and I understand that, but there is a whole group of people in our community that matter too,” said Dollfusz. “Complex PTSD is a real thing. Residential school survivors and people with systemic trauma have developed complex PTSD. It may be just a sign and a name to the people who have not experienced this type of complex PTSD. Small things like a Chief sign that is Derogatory to a group of people, and will trigger people with complex PTSD. Everyone’s mental health matters, even the mental health of Indigenous people. It is time to recognize that the small things matter.”

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The City of Fort Saskatchewan responded to the issues raised by the Fort Saskatchewan Indigenous Society with an investigation into the leasing rights of the downtown sign, and ultimately decided to remove the sign.

“The Indigenous Society of Fort Saskatchewan (ISFS) expressed concerns about the Chiefs sign, citing cultural insensitivity,” said Jesse Bailey, Director of Corporate Communications with the City of Fort Saskatchewan. “After investigating, the City discovered that there was no valid lease agreement for the sign, which poses a liability for the City. Due to these concerns and the ongoing cleanup of the right-of-way, it was decided not to grant a lease agreement.”

“The City has made efforts to educate themselves and foster positive relationships with the Indigenous community. We value the ISFS for bringing up this concern, and we are open to listening and learning. The City, in collaboration with the hockey team, recognized the cultural significance of the issue and acknowledged the absence of a lease agreement.”

jbonnell@postmedia.com

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