The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is speaking out against what it calls a racist comic in a recent issue of a Canadian Newspaper.
The comic recently ran in Metroland Media’s seven Simcoe County newspapers in southern Ontario after Pope Francis apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s Residential Schools.
The comic depicts the pope apologizing to what appears to be a First Nations man and woman who respond with “how $orry.”
The FSIN called the comic “dehumanizing and degrading.”
“The FSIN is reminding and calling on media outlets to be cognizant and aware that demeaning, egregiously discriminatory and racist depictions of First Nations will not be tolerated,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron in a statement sent out Thursday. “No amount of training on anti-oppression, anti-racism and diversity, will help if news outlets allow racist images and statements to run.”
Chief Cameron called on more media outlets to include more First Nations people on editorial boards and at the table when these decisions are being made.
“It’s 2022, it’s about time we see our people in their truest form within the media publications and broadcasts,” said Cameron.
Metroland Media’s managing editor has publicly apologized for allowing the comic to run in their newspapers.
(PHOTO: FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron. File Photo)