Jamie Nye: Now the Canucks’ logo is offensive?

I’d like to thank the professor in Manitoba for being offended on behalf of Indigenous people by the Vancouver Canucks’ logo.

Prof. Sean Carleton raised the issue after the furor over Braden Holtby’s goalie mask that was deemed to be cultural appropriation when all Holtby wanted to do was honour the mythical Thunderbird character popular in the Pacific Northwest. Carleton took a shot at the Canucks’ logo that definitely has been influenced by the Indigenous art.

He believes the Canucks are a team that “makes millions from its operations and ‘Indigenous’ branding.”

Well, it didn’t take long for the media to really dig in on whether the Canucks’ logo has crossed the line. They quickly found out Carleton, who is a well-written indigenous historian and author, should do some more research.

The Canucks and the artist who made the logo consulted with First Nations chiefs on the design, knowing they should get the OK before moving ahead. This was in 1996, so credit their foresight 25 years ago to get approval.

Oh, and in another non-shocking development, one of the grand chiefs in the B.C. coast says they have zero issues with the Canucks’ logo. None.

So we had a 24-hour controversy, quickly debunked, when the media thankfully went directly to the source rather than rely on the hot takes from a professor halfway across the country.