"It must have been a generic response,"
Woodhouse Nepinak said in a social media post Thursday that her headdress and its case were taken away and put in a garbage bag.
She clarified Friday the case was removed from the flight, but she was able to hold her headdress throughout the trip after pleading with staff.
During the flight from
Woodhouse Nepinak said she told them she wouldn't part with her headdress.
Still, the crew took it and its case and put garbage bags around them, she said, before she managed to convince them that her headdress should be taken back out.
Photos Woodhouse Nepinak posted online show the case covered in a clear plastic bag, with staff members hauling it on the tarmac to be loaded under the plane.
"I was kind of stunned at that moment," she recounted.
"There was lots of Canadians trying to help me in that moment and realizing they shouldn't be handling my items like that."
"This was a mistake that I know
"It is an unfortunate situation that I hope is going to lead to a bit of learning — not just by
Trudeau said the
NDP Leader
He said he supports calls from the national chief for a policy to ensure a situation like this never happens again, and added there are "far too many" examples of Indigenous Peoples being disrespected.
The grand chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation,
And
"It is essential that employees are educated about the diverse cultures and traditions of the passengers they serve to ensure that such incidents are never repeated," Thomas said in a statement.
"
"In the past the chiefs have been able to travel while transporting their headdress in their cases in the cabin, but this time the case was difficult to carry in the cabin due to stowage space limitations on the Dash-8 aircraft."
Woodhouse Nepinak called her headdress one of the highest honours First Nations peoples can receive, noting it's not something that can just be purchased in a store.
"When I wear it, I'm representing and speaking for our people," she said.
"Taking it out there (on the plane) and having all these different people handling it — that's not the way we handle our items. … It's a respect thing."
Asked why she decided to speak publicly about the incident, Woodhouse Nepinak said this situation isn't one she wants to be in, but "Creator put it on my lap to go through, and I'm walking through it hoping that we come out of this better."
She said she spoke with the president and CEO of the airline on Friday morning and told him they need to do better, including by appointing a First Nations person to their board.
She also wants them to have cross-cultural training for staff.
Woodhouse Nepinak said she expects to meet with
This report by The Canadian Press was first published
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