Gary Moostoos, the aboriginal outreach worker who was banned from the City Centre Mall last week, said on Saturday he “cannot … accept the apology” from the mall’s manager.
Moostoos rejected a formal in-person apology from the Olympia Trencevski on Saturday afternoon, saying he “needs to see action” first.
A round dance at the very spot Moostoos was when he was escorted out of the mall last week and subsequently banned. Dozens crowded around Moostoos and Trencevski, who formally offered an apology to the outreach worker.
City Centre Mall manager Olympia Trencevski (left) issued a formal, in-person apology to Gary Moostoos on Saturday. (Travis McEwan/CBC News)
“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” Trencevski said. “It was unacceptable. It was a mistake. And I’m sorry.”
“I’m a really good person inside, and this is a good company,” she continued. “I want to tell you that I want to work with you, if you’ll let me and if you’ll be my guiding light, to making this right, if you want.”
However, Moostoos said it will take more than an apology for him to forget what happened to him.
“They need to earn my trust and my respect back and then I will look at forgiveness,” he said.
Trencevski said the mall will work to restore the trust that was lost.
“There’s always good things that come out of unfortunate events,” Trencevski said.
“It was emotional, with a lot of lessons to be learned and a long journey ahead, but we’re ready to take it.”
