'This wasn't just a little oops': Regina city councillors blindsided by 'sexist' tourism slogans
Regina city councillors say they were blindsided and embarrassed by the recent slogans used in Experience Regina’s rebrand.
Experience Regina, formally known as Tourism Regina, officially launched its rebranded strategy last Thursday along with slogans such as ‘the city that rhymes with fun’ and ‘show us your Regina.’
Coun. Terina Nelson, who attended the rebranding event, said she was caught off guard.
“I had no idea this was coming, none whatsoever. As a councillor, I was embarrassed,” Nelson said.
Backlash over the rebrand garnered international attention with the Experience Regina campaign making headlines in both The Washington Post and BBC.
“This wasn’t just a little oops, this was huge,” Nelson said.
City council approved funding for a Tourism Regina rebranding exercise during its budget deliberations in December, according to coun. Andrew Stevens.
However, councillors said they were not briefed beforehand on the campaign slogans.
“I guarantee you, if we would have had a snap shot of some of this branding it would have ended right there,” Stevens said.
Experience Regina is a city-funded, independent municipal corporation that reports to a board of directors and ultimately to city council.
City of Regina Administration does not have oversight or authority over the operations of Experience Regina, according to a city spokesperson.
Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. (REAL) took over tourism responsibilities from Economic Development Regina last year.
At the time, Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said REAL has a responsibility to the entire city and council will hold the group accountable.
However, Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk questions why city council was not aware of the rebranded slogans. She said a serious meeting is needed between council and Experience Regina in order to hold the necessary people accountable.
“We need some accountability on who was involved, how much did they know, were these slogans shared with the board members of REAL, and who, if anyone, on council knew,” Stadnichuk said.
“Especially when there’s a lot of money being spent on a rebranding exercise, I think you want to make sure that there’s not going to be any problems with the messaging that’s along with that campaign.”
Get the CTV News app for local breaking news alerts and top stories
Stadnichuk said councillors are “bearing the brunt of all the public outrage” as a result of the “sexist” slogans. She has received messages from both men and women who are upset.
“We have a problem with sexual violence in our city, so to have slogans that talk about ‘show us your Regina’ or ‘the city that rhymes with fun' is normalizing that women’s bodies are for sexual pleasure and I just think that’s really, really objectionable,” Stadnichuk said.
Saskatchewan has some of the highest rates of sexual violence in the country. Stadnichuk said police stats show the number of reported sexual assaults increased by roughly 16 per cent in Regina last year.
While Stadnichuk and Nelson are not sure if the Experience Regina rebrand can be salvaged, Stevens believes this is the city’s chance to “double down” on its commitment to address sexual violence against women.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.