Pat Lorje resigns from Montgomery community association board, citing 'racist attitudes'

A former Saskatoon city councillor has resigned from a community association board over what she calls the "racist attitudes" of some board members.

Pat Lorje resigned from the Montgomery Place Community Association board on Wednesday.

In her statement of resignation, Lorje said events during and following an Oct. 11 public information meeting about a Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) application to establish a pre-school in the neighbourhood "caused me grave concern."

"In my opinion, these activities, and the attitudes displayed by some of the people at the special Board meeting were racist in nature," she said in the statement. "I do not wish to be associated with this behaviour."

"I believe the negative values being promoted by some of the current Montgomery Place Community Association Board have brought shame and disregard upon this community," she added.

In an interview, Lorje said she was referring to only a few board members. She said there are some people with good intentions on the board.

Still, she said she was troubled by the statements she heard at the Oct. 11 meeting and in subsequent conversations.

"One woman said, 'You . . . ' — meaning the tribal council — ' . . . have got lots of money. Go somewhere else.' That's a stereotype," Lorje said.

"Some woman stood up and said, 'This is a heritage community. And this doesn't belong here,'" Lorje said. "Now, I'm sorry, but this wasn't very far from hearing, 'This is a white heritage community.'"

"The Montgomery neighbourhood already has two pre-schools in it that are run through the public school and the Catholic school," Lorje said. "So if those two pre-schools can fit into a heritage neighbourhood, why can't another stand-alone pre-school fit into a heritage neighbourhood?"

Lorje said she opposed the plan to establish the pre-school at the location that has been specified because of concerns about having young children in a high-traffic area, but would have welcomed the pre-school in another part of the neighbourhood.

Lorje said she made that distinction at the public meeting and it didn't sit well with at least one individual. Lorje said this became clear when she mentioned she thought the meeting had gone well.

"She responded, 'I don't want them anywhere in this community.' That shocked me," Lorje said.

Lorje said her concerns about what she encountered were denied or minimized in a special follow-up meeting of the board on Nov. 2, prompting her decision to resign.

According to Lorje, another board member also submitted her resignation this week over similar concerns.

The tribal council has filed a Discretionary Use Application with the city to operate a HeadStart pre-school at 3437 11th Street West.

STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand has said the preschool would accommodate a maximum of 32 children per day — 16 in the morning and another 16 in the afternoon.

The children would be bused in from eight other Saskatoon neighbourhoods.

According to an update on the association's website, "A letter was sent to the City advising that the Community Association was opposed due to impact on the community."

The website also said, "Letters of opposition from residents of this area were forwarded to City Planning division."

Community association responds

In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, the association said, "We are deeply saddened by the unfounded accusations of racism that have cast our neighbourhood in an unflattering light."

It said, "Everyone is welcome in Montgomery."

"It doesn't matter your race, your gender, your ethnicity, your religion, your ability, you're welcome here," the statement read.

"As long-time members of this community we know better than anyone else that inclusion and diversity are the keys to attracting new families to our area," it stated.

The association said it opposed the plan because of the precedent it would set — specifically, re-purposing existing homes into institutional or commercial properties.

Association president Barb Biddle said they are not in agreement with converting a home into something else, noting that both of Montgomery's existing pre-schools are operating out of elementary schools.

"Normally, pre-schools are in schools or churches, which, although they're in neighbourhoods, there's more space around them," she said.

The association's statement said that the neighbourhood already has two pre-schools operating well under capacity, and added it felt "this would be a better fit for any new students who might want to begin their educational journey here within our community."

As for the comments Lorje said she heard, Biddle said she not heard anything like that.

"I really don't know what she's talking about," Biddle said. "You'd have to ask Pat Lorje about that. I can't comment on what she supposedly heard."

"We are an inclusive community and value diversity."

Biddle noted she has had a couple of conversations with STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand.

"We did have common ground," she said. "We felt that the first public meeting hosted by the city — it didn't really accomplish what it should, which was give a chance for getting all the information."

"And we both agreed if the city would host another public information (meeting), he would be happy to have the tribal council involved and that we could all get on the same page."

Biddle said her association will abide by whatever the city decides.

"We just gave our feedback on this as part of the community engagement process," she said. "And, ultimately, city council will make the final decision. We respect the process and we will totally respect and accept their decision on this."

- with files from Jennifer Quesnel

The Montgomery Place Community Association full statement is as follows: