Tribal Chief Arcand set to walk Circle Drive to raise awareness on calls to action

Challenging businesses and organizations to fit what they’re doing into the calls to action.

That’s what Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand is preparing to do Monday, as he and a group will begin their walk around Circle Drive.

“I’m going to be doing a walk, around this entire city, in a circular format from my office on Circle Drive to promote and create awareness for the calls to action for the City of Saskatoon, for companies, for organizations to fit inside of the calls to action,” he explained during a press conference late last week.

Arcand said an example of what he’s looking for from local businesses and organizations is to highlight what they are doing for the Indigenous community. He gave an example of Saskatoon Public Schools putting culture and language “back into the children,” as Arcand explained.

“I’m 50 years old, I can’t speak my language. We’re at home, trying to teach my five-year-old and my 11-year-old, bits and pieces their language. This is how important (this is). We’ve got to walk together,” he said.

Arcand is inviting everyone, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to walk with him beginning at 7 a.m. Monday.

“I know not everybody’s going to walk the 24, 26 kilometres like I will. But I’m going to do it on behalf of all of our people,” he said.

“It’s about creating awareness. It’s about challenging organizations.”

The event will be COVID-safe, said Arcand. He explained that if more than 150 show up, they will break off into two separate groups.

“We are not going to accept defeat. We are not going to be accepting less than other people, we want to be equals in our lands,” he said.

“The Indigenous people, frankly, have been treated unfairly for their entire lives — and it’s going to change.”