July 1, 2020

Mayor of Bonnyville
Gene Sobolewski
4917 49 Ave
Bonnyville, AB
T9N 2J7

Dear Mayor Sobolewski:

As the family of Morris Cardinal and Jacob Sansom, we are writing you to share our experiences
of racism in your community of Bonnyville and ask that you take immediate steps to address the
violence we encounter. Racial violence is perpetrated to Indigenous Peoples structurally and
individually. Structural racism is demonstrated by the way RCMP officers are enabled to use
excessive force with little repercussion, the reduced sentencing non-Indigenous people
experience for racially motivated crimes, and the lack of acknowledgement by government that
the laws and policies enforced on a daily basis can be manipulated to create dignified
experiences for non-Indigenous people and undignified and violent experiences for Indigenous
people.

As previous members of the Bonnyville community, we can speak firsthand of racist experiences
that forced us to leave the town out of fear for our safety. We are not alone in this need to escape
communities that condone violence to preserve our lives and the lives of our family members.
Intergenerational racism is a deep-rooted issue in many rural communities that began with the
forced removal of Indigenous Peoples from sovereign homelands, reducing hunting and self-
determining ways of life to small segments of living space called reservations. This aspect of
colonization devalued Indigenous identity and privileged the settlers who came from other
countries. All aspects of Indigenous identity became criminalized, regulated through government
control, and the outcomes of this history are evident through the loss of life our communities
experience due to racially motivated violence.

Our family members were hunting at the time of being murdered. They were hunting on Crown
land because of the lack of access to Indigenous land. A full recording of their murders
demonstrated that Morris and Jacob were non-violent and did not contribute to any conflict. This
is not an isolated event. It symbolizes the countless encounters we witness and experience in
Bonnyville where Indigenous people are targeted and harmed.

We hope that you see how failing to address racism in Bonnyville contributes to further violence
to Indigenous people. As a leader in your community with significant influence, you have the
power to change minds and demonstrate what is acceptable. You have the ability to change the
future of the community away from racism and racist violence and towards change that values
Indigenous people.

The following are our recommendations for how to begin this change in Bonnyville:
1. Ban all visible signs of racism (i.e. confederate flags)
2. Develop intentional relationships with surrounding Métis Settlements and First Nations
 3. Use positions of power and privilege to engage in open and critical conversations
regarding racism and violence
4. Develop policies of anti-racism and investigative processes that promote anti-racist
community values and actions
5. Address lack of diversity amongst town council members
6. Education
7. Review how other communities and cities are addressing racism and implement change

We have now lost dear members of our family in violent acts of murder in a community we left
because of the inescapable experiences of racism. Many more have died because of racism in
your community. This is a family, community, and institutional issue. You can be part of the
solution. We look forward to your response both immediate and ongoing. We request an
acknowledgement of our letter, a commitment and plan for change by COB Wednesday, July 8
2020. Copies of this letter will be sent to a variety of local, national and international media
outlets, community leaders and social justice advocates.

You are welcome to join us on July 15, 2020 in a peaceful demonstration for justice where we
will be holding a rally followed by an awareness convoy.

Thank you for your time,

Sarah Sansom
Lloyd Cardinal
Michael Sansom
Gina Sansom
Ruby Smith