- Hub staff

The young adults in the Saugeen Abinoojinh Zagaswe’idiiwini youth council in Saugeen First Nations, are offended that Saugeen Shores removed their orange solidarity ribbons from the Zgaa-biig-ni-gaan Bridge over the Saugeen River. The bridge was named on National Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2018 which means ‘we are connected’ or more precisely, ‘from one end to the other, we are connected’, and the ribbons were put up when the remains of children were acknowledged at former residential schools.

As this issue is very close to their community, the Saugeen Abinoojinh Zagaswe’idiiwini youth council believe this topic should be present consistently in our surrounding areas, especially those considered treaty land. They have contacted the municipality of Saugeen Shores to question the removal of the ribbons. As 5000 bodies have already been located on residential school sites and that number is still growing, the youth have also asked the municipality to make a public statement/apology for the premature removal of the ribbons.

The Saugeen Abinoojinh Zagaswe’idiiwini youth council has informed the municipality of Saugeen Shores that if they have not put the ribbons back and made a public statement by Saturday evening at 8:30pm, the youth will be putting them back on the bridge themselves.

They want communities surrounding Saugeen First Nations to know that this topic is not a trend that has disappeared with a new news cycle.

(photo from 2018 bridge dedication)