THUNDER BAY – The chair of Thunder Bay’s 50th anniversary committee says changing the name of the anniversary’s mascot was warranted to avoid confusion and offense.
The city issued an apology over the weekend for “the hurt caused” by the mascot’s name, in response to critical social media comments. A recent promotional video released by the city revealed the name of the mascot – which it describes as a “general bird character” – as Thunder.
That prompted online criticism from some who saw it as a disrespectful portrayal of a Thunderbird, supernatural beings that feature prominently in the stories of many North American Indigenous cultures, including those of Anishinaabe peoples.
The apology drew online ire from commenters who saw the move as an example of political correctness run amok.
City councillor Shelby Ch’ng said the decision to change the name and pull images of the mascot from the city website was made in consultation with her, as chair of the city’s 50th anniversary committee, and members of city administration.
The comparisons drawn between the mascot and the city logo took her aback, but she believes it was better to “be on the safe side” after seeing online critiques.
“I personally didn’t see the resemblance to the thunderbird, because I know what a thunderbird looks like,” she said. “But I understand there might have been confusion in the community if you put those two together. So to be on the safe side, we’re going back to the drawing board.”
It’s simply a matter of avoiding confusion and responding proactively to residents’ concerns, she said – particularly when it comes to issues that touch on the city’s troubled relationship with Indigenous people.
“I want to be responsive to what the community’s saying and make sure we do things in the most respectful way possible,” she said Monday.
“With any relationship-building – even with a spouse – if you do something that isn’t kosher, it’s a good idea to be responsive and say, ‘look, I hear you and I want to make this better.’ I think pulling down the imagery of the bird and issuing an immediate statement was warranted.”
Ch’ng said the committee will now look at renaming the mascot, and that residents would be engaged in the process. The city’s weekend apology indicated Fort William First Nation chief Peter Collins and the city’s elders advisory committee were involved in discussions about the “concept” of the mascot.
“We shared the creative concept of the mascot in late 2019 with the City’s Elder’s Council and Chief Peter Collins of Fort William First Nation,” a statement on the city’s website read. “None raised issues with the concept."
A suit for the mascot was received earlier this year, with the intention that it would be present for major community events this year to generate excitement for the anniversary, along with a public naming contest. COVID-19 derailed those plans.
The city budgeted $5,000 for the design and production of the mascot.
Ch’ng said the anniversary committee is hoping it can still be renamed and used later this year, adding there would be some form of public engagement around the naming.
“For these low-stake items like a mascot for a 50th birthday party, do we need to have a full-blown community consultation? Probably not,” she said. “But where can we find something in the middle, without being overly politically correct or being insensitive? It’s really finding that balance.”