SIXTIES SCOOP INDIGENOUS SOCIETY OF P.O. Box 69128 Skyview, Edmonton, Alberta T6V 1G7

August 14th, 2020

Mayor Omer Moghrabi Lac La Biche County P.O Box 1679 Lac La Biche, Alberta T0A 2C0

Dear Mayor Moghrabi and Council Members,

RE: Systemic Racism Towards Indigenous People – Town of Lac La Biche

I write to you on behalf of the “Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta” (SSISA) Board of Directors. For the past four (4) years SSISA has been a reputable Alberta Provincial organization that prides itself in raising awareness of the atrocities of Sixties Scoop in Canada to mainstream Albertans. Our greatest accomplishment thus far is working collaboratively with the Government of Alberta to facilitate a HISTORIC apology from former Premier to all survivors on May 28th, 2018. This apology marked truth and reconciliation in Alberta. Sixties Scoop was an injustice where thousands of Indigenous children were forcibly removed by child welfare authorities in the 1950’s to the early 1990’s and placed in non-Indigenous foster homes and adoptions resulting in loss of culture, language, identity, family and community. Many of these children suffered emotional, mental, physical and sexual abuse that is irreparable. Sixties Scoop was an extension of the Residential Schools in taking the Indian out of the Child and has been deemed as cultural genocide.

Sixties Scoop survivors have faced racism throughout our upbringing in predominately middle class white foster homes and adoptions and survivors of the Indian Residential Schools and Sixties Scoop continue to face systemic racism today simply because mainstream Albertans fail to understand our history of colonization and cultural genocide – there is a lot to learn.

It has been brought to the attention of SSISA very disparaging comments on social media from community members of Lac la Biche that fuels racism towards the Indigenous people in your town. SSISA has grave concerns and are appalled with such racist comments as it truly illustrates pure ignorance towards our people. Those comments were made by the owner of the Scott’s Meat Shop LTD and a senior member of the Lac La Biche County Fire Services who may be the Fire Chief of the Hylo Volunteer Fire Department. We understand that Scott’s Meat Shop LTD may not be operational any longer. Their comments allude to ideas of how to handle an unfortunate situation that occurred in Lac la Biche involving an Indigenous man. There was mention of use of a grinder and backhoe to deal with the situation.

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Comments such as this are unacceptable and are deemed as racist towards the Indigenous people in Alberta and Canada. I am aware Mr. Mayor that you had some conversations over the phone with the SSISA Vice President Sharon Gladue as our Vice President had the opportunity to voice her concerns.

One of the many projects that SSISA has developed and delivered is the “What Was Lost – Reflections From The Sixties Scoop” as an educational tool that targets mainstream Albertans to address systemic racism towards the Indigenous people in Canada. The County of Lac La Biche is in great need of facilitating a mandatory training session for all County staff and departments as well as mainstream community members. The goal of the training session is to educate mainstream Albertans on the atrocities of Sixties Scoop with the intent of creating awareness and understanding to influence unhealthy attitudes that fuel racism towards Indigenous people. SSISA feels that this exercise would be more then appropriate for the town of Lac La Biche.

SSISA is calling for action, rather than inaction, as those that promote hatred need to be held accountable for their actions. What we are suggesting Mr. Mayor that we convene a virtual meeting between your Council and the Board of SSISA to discuss our concerns and chart a plan to move things forward in a good way.

You may contact our SSISA Vice President, Sharon Gladue at (780) 245-0240 or email at [email protected] to schedule a meeting time. SSISA looks forward to hearing from you soon.

Respectively, Adam north peigan President cc SSISA Board of Directors Honourable , Minister of Municipal Affairs, Government of Alberta Honourable Rick Wilson, Minister of Indigenous Relations, Government of Alberta Laila Goodridge, MLA Fort McMurray-Lac Lac Biche Randy Schroeder, President, Alberta Fire Chiefs Association

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