Edmonton Maze Issues Apology After Getting Pressured for Celebrating RCMP

A maze cut out of a corn field in a file photo. (Ilene Eng/The Epoch Times)

EDMONTON—The Edmonton Corn Maze, an attraction southwest of Edmonton, apologized for its Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)-themed maze for this year’s season after saying it received complaints about its choice of that theme, then later deleted the apology following criticism.

The farm activities venue, which is open for visitors in summer and fall, unveiled the new design on Facebook on July 25, stating it had partnered with the Alberta RCMP for this year’s maze.

“This year’s corn maze at is a special tribute to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as they mark their 150th anniversary,” said Edmonton Corn Maze on its website.

“The maze design features the iconic RCMP 150 logo, with the Mountie proudly saluting. It’s an opportunity for visitors to recognize and honor the invaluable role the RCMP has played in shaping Canadian history and serving our communities across Alberta.”

The company said the RCMP has “played a vital role in shaping Canadian history” and invited visitors to “learn about the various ways in which the RCMP serves and protects our communities” as people navigate through intricate paths cut into a field of corn.

Previous designs included a 2022 theme of the Edmonton Elks football team and a 2021 tribute to the Edmonton food bank. Edmonton-based utility company Epcor received a design in 2016, while video game developer BioWare, also Edmonton-based, had a design in 2017. The maze has had a different annual theme since 2001.

‘We Are Sorry’

Despite dozens of gestures and comments expressing appreciation for the 2023 design, including from individuals identifying themselves as serving RCMP officers, the venue posted a Facebook statement on July 28 apologizing for that design, reported CTV News in Edmonton.

“Our intention was not to overlook or downplay the concerns associated with the RCMP,” said the apology, based on a screenshot captured by a Twitter user. “We understand that the RCMP has caused hurt and distress to various communities including Indigenous Peoples and people of colour, and for that, we sincerely regret any pain our design might have triggered.”

The company said its intention was to honour the service and dedication of RCMP members throughout the years.

“We recognize that our approach did not adequately take into account the hurt and harm that the RCMP’s history has caused,” the company added. “We acknowledge that such a portrayal may be perceived as insensitive and dismissive of these valid issues. We are sorry.”

‘Polarized Society’

In response to a request for comment from The Epoch Times, the company said via email on July 30 that it “did delete the initial statement,” referring to the apology.

“We thought it was important to recognize the sometimes problematic history of the RCMP and the impact it has had on different communities over the past 150 years. We will continue to acknowledge this,” said the emailed statement.

“What was missing from that response was our support for the men and women who are serving and have served in the RCMP and law enforcement in general. We in no way wanted to diminish or devalue the good work that they do. The maze design recognizes this 150 year milestone. We thank them for their service.”

An earlier Facebook post by the organization on July 25 announcing the RCMP theme received a lot of support comments, including by users who said they were RCMP members.

“As a serving RCMP member, it is gestures like this that go a long way when we mostly see negative all the time. I appreciate this gesture and know many colleagues do as well. Men and women of the force today do a lot of good for communities across our nation,” said one user.

Some other users expressed disappointment that the organization issued an apology.

“I appreciate the maze as an active rcmp member, the apology makes me feel sad though,” said another user.

Another user said: “Many many RCMP officers have given their lives in service and continue to do so every day …. are some ‘bad’ ? of course…they are people….the 99% that are not bad have been treated unfairly in this post/ apology.”

In the now-deleted apology, the company said it had received feedback that “opened our eyes to the impact of our choices,” and promised it would be “more thoughtful” in its design decisions going forward, “ensuring that they resonate positively with all members of our community.”

In its response to The Epoch Times, the company said it remains committed to “looking for ideas that will be as inclusive as possible and will consult with others in the process going forward. We realize that we live in a polarized society and people seem to be offended by anything.”