The Anti-Racism Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador says the events leading to the recent removal of Sheila Fitzgerald as president of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador raise broader issues about racism in society as a whole.

Fitzgerald has apologized for “mindlessly” sharing a social media post that contained racist sentiments.

Dr. Sulaimon Giwa acknowledges the swift response of MNL in recognizing a wrong was done to already marginalized communities.

“This is the level of awareness and action that we need and demand of institutional leaders,” says Giwa.

Robert Leamon, who is a Mi’kmaq Land Protector says the post included anti-Indigenous, anti-immigrant, and anti-migrant rhetoric, as well as xenophobic sentiments in addition to casting doubt on COVID vaccines.

But what’s more problematic, says Leamon, is that people are sharing those types of posts without first engaging with the content. He says it’s important to recognize the impact sharing those types of messages has on people who are reading them.