The Editor,
While attending Monday's public hearing for the city of Coquitlam, Mayor Richard Stewart made a point of acknowledging that this Wednesday was Pink Shirt Day, and that the theme for this year's anti-bullying day was Lift Each Other Up.
As I have pointed out in a past letter to The Tri-City News, I was a victim of relentless bullying growing up, and while I survived, I still bear the scars.
For me, every day since high school has been an anti-bullying day and every day I strive to lift up those around me, either through my words or by my deeds. Unlike others, though, I did not wear pink on Wednesday.
While wearing pink may send a nice message and look good on TV, the only way to truly eliminate bullying is through our individual actions every day. To steal a phrase from Gandhi, we must be the change we want to see.
This is why I was upset later that evening while checking my newsfeed on Facebook.
Up until now I have avoided making or commenting on posts in relation to the current Indigenous uprising over pipelines and consultation. This is a complicated issue that has sewn division all across our country, and is red meat to the intolerant and ignorant who troll the online forums.
Lifting each other up is more than just a kind word or action towards a fellow person. Lifting us up is also about raising the bar, and aspiring to our best ideals.
This is why I was very disturbed when I saw a post by Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart where he equated those who are engaged in peaceful protest and setting up, albeit illegal, blockades as bullies.
As an elected official, our mayor should be calming the waters, not inflaming rhetoric. In using Pink Shirt Day to comment on the actions of those at the blockades, Mayor Stewart politicized an event that in its very essence should always be non-partisan. His post not only cheapens the idea behind Pink Shirt Day by using it to make a partisan attack, but also disrespects those same peoples whom Mayor Stewart acknowledged Monday night when he recognized that the public hearing was taking place on the unceded territory of the Kwikwetlem, Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Coast Salish first nations.
Pink Shirt Day should not be politicized and used to garner political capital, and our elected officials should be encouraging dialogue — not fanning the flames of discontent — to bring these blockades to a close so that we can begin the hard work of meaningful reconciliation.
Rob Bottos, Coquitlam
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Read more from The Tri-City News:
Liberal MPs defer call for immediate blockade debate at committee
New rail blockades continue as government talks continue
West Coast Express afternoon service back as Port Coquitlam blockage disbanded
