Hi Everyone!
I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday long weekend, however, you were able to celebrate. While the signatures have slowed, I want to assure you all that our passion for this has not, and give you an update on where we stand.
On April 9, 2020 a group of former THUNDER players and coaches submitted this petition to the SA and the College President Claude Brule along with an email detailing our many serious questions on the process to change the THUNDER name to the Wolves. We strongly called on the SA to reverse their decision on the name change.
On April 14, 2020 - the Algonquin SA President sent back an email to us indicating they will not reverse the decision. See below:
"The Students’ Association (SA) respects and appreciates the history and legacy of the CAATs and the Thunder, as well as all of those who have participated throughout the years – and we acknowledge that this petition speaks to the community of alumni committed to the Thunder brand.
Over this past year, the consultation process was far more comprehensive than just the online survey. There were many meetings and student consultations conducted under the guidance and direction of the Algonquin College Indigenous leadership. As a governing body representing the 19,000+ full and part-time students on three campuses, the SA Board of Directors is directly accountable to this specific ownership. It is on their behalf that we honour the past but determine our own future.
The SA Board of Directors remains excited about the decision to rebrand to the Algonquin Wolves because this name best exemplifies the SA’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, and will create a shared identity for all Algonquin students. Algonquin Wolves, and the associated narrative, presents a platform upon which the SA will work with Indigenous Peoples and the college community to educate generations of students on the history and traditions of Canada’s Original Peoples, and especially the Algonquin People.
We are not withdrawing our support for varsity athletics. In fact, the opposite is true. Algonquin Wolves will mark a new beginning in a new facility and will bring forward an exciting new era in Algonquin College’s history.
Warmest regards,
Shanti Cosentino"
This is another tone-deaf response and they continue to indicate they conducted "many meetings and student consultations" but offer no evidence to this fact at all except for the online survey that clearly indicated the college community's desire to keep the THUNDER name. They continue to push the Truth and Reconciliation angle but fail to mention that THUNDER has a strong connection to indigenous communities and this change and process actually directly contradicts what reconciliation is all about. They continue to ignore the voices of those who participated in the survey and now the voices that signed this petition.
None of this makes any sense to any of us. It's a clear a small group of people have decided a while ago to make this change and are pushing their agenda with no real rationale.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
All of us encourage those who feel strongly about this issue to express your concerns by email to the outgoing President Shanti Cosentino (cosents@algonquincollege.com), incoming SA President Emily Ferguson (ferguse@algonquincollege.com) and Algonquin College President Claude Brule (brulec@algonquincollege.com).
This is especially important for current students who feel this way, as it is clear to us, that the SA is not representing the views of current Algonquin students. We believe they have broken trust with their membership in how they have handled this situation.
We have a draft email or template below that you can simply cut and paste or you can write your own note. We encourage anyone that will send an email to be respectful and stick with the facts.
You can also post photos and share THUNDER experiences using the hashtag #KeepThunder on Twitter, IG and Facebook. Share with your classmates, friends, family and local media.
We appreciate your support!
The Keep Thunder Team
[To Whom It May Concern],
I am very disappointed to hear of the decision by the Student Association Board to remove the Thunder name from Algonquin College.
The name means so much to all the athletes who have sacrificed the time as students for the brand, proudly wearing the logo and carving a strong reputation across Canada. THUNDER has a strong pride and tradition including our indigenous peoples. I don't understand why you would change.
The process to change this name not been done in good faith and its clear that the wider college community wants to keep the name THUNDER. You are ignoring the voices of the college community that participated in your own survey and now the nearly 1800 people that signed the petition to reverse the decision.
I call on you to reverse this decision and allow the name THUNDER to remain as the rightful one at Algonquin College.