Regina citizens are launching a formal complaint against Councillor Terina Shaw.
Forty-seven people from the Queen City have written to Commissioner for the City Angela Kruk, asking her to investigate the conduct of the councillor.
This stems from two incidents where Shaw made claims during council that the group feels perpetuates harmful racial stereotypes about indigenous people and violates the city of Regina’s Code of Ethics.
Florence Stratton was one of the residents who submitted the letter and said she sees the complaint as part of the ongoing struggle against racism in Regina and society.
“Councillor Shaw is in a position of authority in Regina, and her racist statements make racist behaviour by others acceptable,” she said. “She enables others to say and do racist things, and in my view, it’s necessary to always speak out against racist behaviour to make it clear that such conduct is absolutely non-acceptable.”
Susana Deranger, who also led in filing the complaint, said Shaw’s words were unacceptable.
“There is no time or place, or situation where hatred and racism, whether it’s conscious or unconscious, should be anywhere in this society, at least of all from a member that is supposed to be protecting the citizens of Regina.”
Deranger called Shaw’s comments appalling.
“How do comments such as hers do anything in favour of reconciliation?” she stated. “They are going backwards; it is absolutely appalling that someone would be in the negative views of stereotypes.”
Shaw has not publically apologized for remarks insinuating that indigenous men are sexual predators and that indigenous people choose homelessness.
However, Regina Mayor Sandra Masters apologized for Shaw’s remarks during a June 15th council meeting, saying she “apologized for any harm or impact comments made by councillor Shaw.”
Stratton and Deranger both said they would like to see Councillor Shaw removed from council and held accountable for her words.
with files from Jeff Richards