The Canadian Media Guild has sent a letter to Air Canada CEO Calin Rovinescu asking that the airline apologize for a memo that characterizes downtown Winnipeg as dangerous and makes reference to the thousands of people displaced by flooding in rural Manitoba who now make the city their temporary home.

“The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has called your note racist and we agree,” the letter states. “To link crime in Winnipeg with the ‘displaced people,’ many of whom evacuated from flooded reserves, is offensive to indigenous people and especially hurtful to the people forced from their homes because of flooding. Equally disturbing is the callous conclusion of the note, which states that ‘(a)uthorities anticipate displaced people to be an issue for another 12 months’ (emphasis added).”

The letter was signed by CMG president Carmel Smyth, aptn branch president Vincent Proteau, and staff representative Terri Monture. The Guild has asked that the airline apologize and seek to reconcile with indigenous people living in Winnipeg.

You can read the full text of the letterhere.