Editor:
I’m responding to Mark Kolada’s Letter to the Editor of May 28, “Opposed to name change.”
At first I hesitated to respond to Mr. Kolada’s letter, as I usually don’t do this kind of thing. But, having many Indigenous friends, I must stand up and speak up.
On the Sunshine Coast, we are privileged to live on the unceded territory of the shíshálh and Squamish Nations. For over 10,000 years, Madeira Park area was called salalus. So it’s not a name change, it’s recognition of the shíshálh name to the area.
I suggest that Mr. Kolada become educated about the Madeira Park/Sunshine Coast/B.C. areas in relation to Indigenous people, and I would hope he could find some compassion and understanding.
The last sentence of his letter really set me off: “This whole issue needs to be put to a referendum as this guerrilla warfare by the natives has to be stopped.” Using the term guerrilla warfare seems very inflammatory.
Sue Spurgeon, Sechelt
