The incident took place during games of the Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS) women’s hockey team against the Macdonald-Cartier high school team.
Aboriginal players from the MSS claim to have witnessed racist gestures from players of the opposing team.
Jorja and Danica Peltier are teammates and friends.
Photo: Courtesy of Jorja Peltier
The team’s goalkeeper MSSJorja Peltier, says that during two games between the two teams in March, she saw students making war cries
a caricatural gesture towards Aboriginal people.
We hope they won’t do it again if exposed, because I don’t want other people to experience racism, it’s honestly a terrible feeling
explains Jorja Peltier
Danica Peltier, another member of the MSSsays the first incident she witnessed happened during a game at Garson Arena on March 1.
Danica Peltier was hurt by the racist gestures she saw.
Photo: Courtesy of Danica Peltier.
She was sitting on the bench during the game, when she saw a student in the stands tap his hand over his open mouth, in what appeared to be an imitation of a war cry
stereotypical native.
I didn’t want to believe it, I didn’t want to be the person to say it was racism, so I just looked away
she explains.
But then I noticed my coaches and GM noticed it too, that’s when I knew for sure what it was
she adds.
In a game two weeks later against the same team, Jorja Peltier says she witnessed something similar.
” In this match, we had just lost and there were cheers. And under the normal cheers, the war cry could be heard again. »
Danica Peltier remembers the same thing.
I felt really sad that people could even do this to another team
she says.
Mandatory cultural sensitivity training
Weeks after the second incident, Jorja says the event was still bothering her, so she decided to speak up and wrote about what happened in an op-ed she sent to local media.
I’m usually pretty introverted and I don’t express myself so I feel strong enough to be able to do that, it’s sad that I have to express myself because honestly people should be educated on cultural appropriation and cultural sensitivity in 2022
she explains.
Following this letter, Jorja says she received a letter of apology from the French school board, which also outlined plans for cultural sensitivity training.
In a press release, the council’s director of communications, Carole Dubé, wrote that the Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario worked with staff at Macdonald-Cartier High School to identify those involved.
” Those involved understand the seriousness of their actions. The necessary measures have been taken to ensure that this situation does not happen again. »
Ms. Dubé says that the school board had been producing cultural awareness videos for students and staff for several years and that she was determined to promote respect for all cultures
. She added that this incident will further those efforts.
Jorja Peltier believes that cultural sensitivity training was a very good first step
she hopes that the students involved will recognize the consequences of their actions.
I hope they know it really hurts it ruined my hockey season be careful what you say and yes those actions hurt for a long time
she laments.
With information from CBC’s Sarah MacMillan
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca