HOCKEY FATHER FACES OFF AGAINST ALLEGED RACIST TEAM NICKNAMES

The city of Mississauga has been taken to a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario by a hockey father, who feels the indigenous names and symbols used by some minor hockey teams demonstrate institutional racism and promote stereotypes that shape how indigenous people are viewed.

(Vince Talotta / Toronto Star)

Brad Gallant is a member of the Qualipu Mi`kmaq First Nation and his two daughters are goalies.

He says the city should not provide funding to teams with racially insensitive names and logos, and wants the city to remove banners with the teams`names and logos from municipal buildings.

Two of the teams named in the complaint, the Meadowvale Mohawks and Lorne Park Ojibwa, have already changed their names and logos.

A lawyer for the city of Mississauga says the teams, not the city, are responsible for choosing names and logos.

Gallant`s lawyer says the matter was brought forward largely to preserve “a safe environment for (Gallant`s) children, an environment in which they don`t feel ashamed and don`t have to defend themselves against things they can`t control.“

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