A magazine article that characterized Winnipeg as Canada’s most racist continues to generate reaction.
The North Winnipeg Nomads Football Club has T-shirts and hoodies for sale on its website, with captions that read ‘Racism Sucks’ and ‘Keep Calm and Stop Racism’.
"We just thought the best way to send our message, instead of through social media, is to actually put a T-shirt and a hoodie out, which basically is our standpoint that racism sucks and we don't tolerate it,” said coach Jeffrey Bannon.
Point Douglas MLA Kevin Chief said that, as an aboriginal man who still lives in the North End neighbourhood where he grew up, the article struck a chord with him.
"We've seen a very personal reaction to the story. It was very personal for me,” said Chief. “We're seeing a very sincere discussion all throughout Winnipeg in classrooms and at the kitchen table."
Bannon hopes his football club’s T-shirts and hoodies can inspire the conversation and help combat the negative image the magazine article painted.
"We value diversity. You know, the only thing we judge on is effort, and the only colour that we see is the colour across the field from us for two hours a game,” said Bannon.
He said, so far, the club has received about 50 orders for the T-shirts and hoodies, which are available on the club’s website.
