The city of Saskatoon says the billboard on Circle Drive is not intended to “target anyone individually.”
A white man with the quote, “…I have to acknowledge my own privilege and racist attitudes” is shown on the billboard.
The billboard is part of a city campaign, called “I am the bridge”.
The campaign began in 2015 and aims to address racism in Saskatoon with real stories and quotes of people’s experience with racism.
The quotes on the billboards are taken from a video, produced by the city, featuring people’s answers to various questions about racism.
“This isn’t a scripted line intended to target anyone individually. This was an individual in Saskatoon who made this statement under his own free will and it does apply to a number of us in the city,” Lynne Lacroix, City of Saskatoon director of recreation and community development, said.
But when Darcy Sauverwald saw the billboard, he said he felt targeted by the city of Saskatoon.
“I felt singled out as a Caucasian male, that they were talking to me directly and I didn’t think it was fair, it actually created anger,” Sauverwald said, adding he’d like to see more than one ethnicity and gender on the billboard.
“I just feel it’s directed to one single group, instead of everybody in general. I don’t believe Caucasians have a monopoly in racism.”
But the billboard on Circle Drive is not a stand-alone campaign. There are three other billboards which feature people and their response to racism.
“I mean there are different kinds of privilege and this one, he talks about his own privilege and admits he was wrong, that’s a good thing,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said.
The city has paid $8,100 for the four billboards, with the total “I am the bridge” campaign costing $14,100 for the year.
There are ads in transit shelter, restaurants and on social media.
The billboards will stay up until July 16.
