Elected officials in the Cowichan Valley have taken to social media to condemn racism in the wake of a COVID-19 outbreak among Cowichan Tribes.

North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring and Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau are among those who have voiced their disgust with social media posts and behaviour towards members of Cowichan Tribes after the First Nation experienced a surge in cases this month.

91裸聊视频滱s you will know, I spend a fair bit of time on social media, and I91裸聊视频檝e been extremely concerned with some of the posts I91裸聊视频檝e been seeing in the past few days with respect to the COVID outbreak among the Cowichan Tribes community,91裸聊视频� Siebring wrote in a post on his public page on Sunday, Jan. 10. 91裸聊视频淥K91裸聊视频� I91裸聊视频檓 beyond 91裸聊视频榚xtremely concerned.91裸聊视频� I91裸聊视频檓 disappointed. And I91裸聊视频檓 pissed off.

91裸聊视频淪ome of the posts I91裸聊视频檝e seen are vile; filled with racism and an 91裸聊视频榰s/them91裸聊视频� mentality. They are fear-based, and they are inappropriate.91裸聊视频�

Chief and council imposed a shelter in place order for Tribes members until Jan. 22. The First Nations Health Authority said the case countwas 45 as of Saturday.

Siebring noted the response from the broader community has included demands that off-reserve employers fire any First Nations workers based on their membership in Cowichan Tribes.

91裸聊视频淭hat, folks, is racism,91裸聊视频� he wrote. 91裸聊视频淧lain and simple. And it91裸聊视频檚 wrong.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淏ecause here91裸聊视频檚 the thing. Tribes is being completely transparent about their numbers 91裸聊视频� far moreso than Island Health. The FNHA has the authority to be this specific and transparent on cases, locations, etc., while the rest of us, (including non-First Nations elected officials) don91裸聊视频檛 even know specifically where cases are unless we hear from specific institutions like Superstore or the Chemainus High School.91裸聊视频�

Siebring lamented that Cowichan Tribes91裸聊视频� transparency is being rewarded with racist rhetoric and demands for segregation. He also pointed out that COVID-19 was in the Cowichan Valley long before the outbreak in Cowichan Tribes was announced.

91裸聊视频淏ut here91裸聊视频檚 the thing,91裸聊视频� he wrote. 91裸聊视频淔or 10 months, COVID was present in the non-First Nations community. The first case among Cowichan Tribes wasn91裸聊视频檛 identified until New Year91裸聊视频檚 Day. But NOT ONCE during that 10-month period did we ever hear of Tribes members looking at every non-indigenous person with the assumption that they had COVID. We didn91裸聊视频檛 hear any calls for all white people to stay away from their jobs until the pandemic is over. I didn91裸聊视频檛 see a single social media post or news article where Cowichan Tribes members were complaining that it was 91裸聊视频榯hose white people91裸聊视频� who were spreading the virus all over the Island.

91裸聊视频淎nd yet, now that the numbers have changed, that91裸聊视频檚 the kind of rhetoric we91裸聊视频檙e starting to see. Folks, we are better than this. And it has to stop.91裸聊视频�

The mayor acknowledged that his words echoed those posted by Cowichan Tribes councillor Stephanie Atleo a day earlier.

91裸聊视频淣ot once during this did we look at every non-indigenous person and assume you had COVID,91裸聊视频� Atleo had written. 91裸聊视频淲e did not tell any of you to come back to work or to our businesses when the pandemic is over. Not once did we comment on any news article about the spread and say 91裸聊视频榦h those 91裸聊视频渨hite91裸聊视频� people are spreading it on the Island!91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Furstenau asked the wider community to 91裸聊视频渟how humanity in their interactions with Cowichan Tribes members as they navigate this scary and dangerous time.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲hen the news broke that cases were on the reserve, and the shelter-in-place order was issued, my first thought was to the health of the elders, and my second thought was to the reaction of those who still choose to discriminate based on race,91裸聊视频� she wrote.

91裸聊视频淭here is no difference between how these cases are being handled and how the cases in the broader community are being handled 91裸聊视频� with the exception that we know the number of cases.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭here is no room for racism in our collective effort in returning to zero cases in this community. We have two choices as a community right now: to unite in our effort to protect our most vulnerable from this devastating virus, or to turn on our neighbours at the moment they need us most. We are asking you to choose to be united, and encourage others who may be reacting in fear to do the same. We have done it before and there has never been a more critical time to do it again.91裸聊视频�

Cowichan Tribes councillor Stuart Pagaduan also put out a call for unity in a post to his personal Facebook page that was shared more than 100 times.

91裸聊视频淩ather than focus on the ignorance and hatred of people in our community let91裸聊视频檚 acknowledge and celebrate the friendships we already have. In the School District and as a councillor I91裸聊视频檝e had the privilege to meet some beautiful people over the years. These people are not Indigenous but I choose to call them my friends and esteemed colleagues. I feel the need to stand up and push back against all the discrimination and ugliness. I have many good friends out there and we need to hear your voice and opinion. Thank you for taking the time to understand our community and history of our people.91裸聊视频�

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