macbdog
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Advocate seeks Ontario ban on Cleveland Indians logo, name
Kevin Connor
Saturday, October 15, 2016, 6:03 PM
A prominent advocate for aboriginal peoples wants the Cleveland Indians’ name and logo banned in Ontario.
Douglas Cardinal, an officer of the Order of Canada and a renowned First Nations architect, has an application before the Ontario Superior Court and complaints filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the Canadian Human Rights Commission saying the team name and logo is racist and discriminatory.
Chief Wahoo — a red-skinned, horse-toothed caricature used as a team logo — is disrespectful and discriminatory, the complaint says.
Cardinal has had enough, lawyer Michael Swinwood said.
“Canadian law clearly prohibits discrimination of this nature,” he said.
“It also violates my client’s right to equal treatment and the rights of indigenous peoples across Canada and everywhere else the name and logo are used.”
On Monday, there will be a hearing on Cardinal’s application before the Superior Court.
“Douglas Cardinal is also a baseball fan and he and people like him should not be subject to racial discrimination in the provision of a service, which is occurring in this case,” Swinwood said.
It’s a complicated legal matter with jurisdictional issues, said Renu Mandhane, chief commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
“The issue is whether the team name creates a poisoned environment for indigenous people attending the game — when used in Ontario if it creates a barriers (for aboriginal people) accessing services at the Rogers Centre, and whether the mascot caricature incites discrimination,” Mandhane said.
Last week, Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro, a former executive with the Cleveland team for decades, said he was personally bothered by the Chief Wahoo caricature to the point he distanced himself from the logo.
Foe 20 years, Blue Jays play-by-play announcer Jerry Howarth hasn’t used terms like Braves or Indians as he feels they are disrespectful to First Nations communities.
Someone needs to let this ignorant man know that we are just honoring him.
Kevin Connor
Saturday, October 15, 2016, 6:03 PM
A prominent advocate for aboriginal peoples wants the Cleveland Indians’ name and logo banned in Ontario.
Douglas Cardinal, an officer of the Order of Canada and a renowned First Nations architect, has an application before the Ontario Superior Court and complaints filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the Canadian Human Rights Commission saying the team name and logo is racist and discriminatory.
Chief Wahoo — a red-skinned, horse-toothed caricature used as a team logo — is disrespectful and discriminatory, the complaint says.
Cardinal has had enough, lawyer Michael Swinwood said.
“Canadian law clearly prohibits discrimination of this nature,” he said.
“It also violates my client’s right to equal treatment and the rights of indigenous peoples across Canada and everywhere else the name and logo are used.”
On Monday, there will be a hearing on Cardinal’s application before the Superior Court.
“Douglas Cardinal is also a baseball fan and he and people like him should not be subject to racial discrimination in the provision of a service, which is occurring in this case,” Swinwood said.
It’s a complicated legal matter with jurisdictional issues, said Renu Mandhane, chief commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
“The issue is whether the team name creates a poisoned environment for indigenous people attending the game — when used in Ontario if it creates a barriers (for aboriginal people) accessing services at the Rogers Centre, and whether the mascot caricature incites discrimination,” Mandhane said.
Last week, Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro, a former executive with the Cleveland team for decades, said he was personally bothered by the Chief Wahoo caricature to the point he distanced himself from the logo.
Foe 20 years, Blue Jays play-by-play announcer Jerry Howarth hasn’t used terms like Braves or Indians as he feels they are disrespectful to First Nations communities.
Someone needs to let this ignorant man know that we are just honoring him.
