Indigenous signage campaign on Edmonton LRT aims to help steer youth from gangs

Performers during a ceremony on Sept. 9, 2024, at the Clareview transit station to mark the introduction of Cree-language signage on Edmonton LRT trains promoting an Indigenous anti-gang program. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)

A campaign spearheaded by a major Indigenous community south of Edmonton in conjunction with the city aims to persuade Indigenous youth to embrace their culture and steer away from gangs.

The Maskwacis Cree Tribal Council's Young Warriors Program seeks to counter gang violence by connecting First Nations youth with their culture and giving them a sense of belonging and purpose.

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One way it's looking to connect with them is through signage on Edmonton's light-rail transit trains highlighting key messages in the Cree language. Representatives from the tribal council's member reserves and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi were on hand to help formally introduce the signage on trains at Clareview LRT station on Monday.

The Maskwacis community is made up of five First Nations reserves 80 kilometres south of Edmonton near Wetaskiwin, including Samson Cree Nation 137 and 137A, Ermineskin Cree Nation 138, the Louis Bull Tribe 138B and the Montana First Nation 139.

Chief Vernon Saddleback of the Samson Cree Nation said he thinks the major message of the campaign is discussing the regional problem posed by gangs.

"Gangs don't know any boundaries. We don't just have gangs in Edmonton or Maskwacis. We have to get that message out to all of our kids, all of our youth," Saddleback said at a media conference at the Clareview station.

"We have a high population of Maskwacis people that live in the Edmonton area. We're always trying to figure out how to bring supports to our people in the Edmonton region, so that's why these advertising campaigns like this ... they allow us to cross those boundaries, to keep us out of those silos as towns and as cities and have that discussion.

"We have to support our people wherever they may live."

Cree-language signage on Edmonton LRT trains on Sept. 9, 2024, at the Clareview transit station promoting an Indigenous anti-gang program. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)The anti-gang campaign, which has designs on addressing issues faced by the Mackwacis community by promoting cultural connections and positive associations for youth, was developed by an Indigenous project team through Symmetry PR and aided by a Pattison Outdoor Advertising grant from the Elevating Voices program.

Ermineskin Cree Nation council member Craig Mackinaw said giving youth a variety of options to get them away from "games (on screens) all the time" promotes being more active in their communities.

"I know one of the things that we're missing is more recreation facilities for use. We need to have more of them available for them," Mackinaw said.

"We're not like the cities where you have big rec centres, swimming pools, we need to get those facilities in place so that we can get them out from their homes and get them doing more things, because there are more options out there besides the gang lifestyle."

Sohi said the significance of having the signage as part of Edmonton's LRT system reflects the "unfortunate" reality that "a lot of gang activity" takes place at LRT stations, particularly at Clareview and downtown.

"When people see this art and the messages, they can help young people connect back to culture and give them the necessary support that they need to walk away from unfortunate circumstances in the gang activities," Sohi said.

"Gang life is never glamorous. It's a very short life. It's a violent life. It is a very troublesome life, and people get into a lot of trouble by being more part of the gangs. We want to encourage young people to, first of all, not join, and if they do join, give them the necessary support to walk away (from gang life.)" 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Matt Marshall