Sault Ste. Marie: Cancel D.I. Lewis Show? Chief Speaks

The cancellation circuit continues for comedian Ben Bankas, but this time the pressure isn’t coming from progressive outrage – it’s a First Nation Chief directly challenging a venue to uphold a recently signed Friendship Accord. This isn’t just another comedian losing a gig; it’s a pointed demonstration of how reconciliation efforts are being actively tested, and how venues are navigating the increasingly fraught space between artistic freedom and cultural sensitivity.

Chief Bell’s opposition stems from Bankas’s jokes about Indigenous people and residential schools, which she describes as “inaccurate” and “crude.” Specifically, she takes issue with his statement that residential schools had “nice architecture” and his comparison to a costly private school, as well as a joke characterizing Winnipeg as an “Indigenous zombie apocalypse.” Bell powerfully articulated the lasting trauma inflicted by these schools, detailing the separation of children from their families, the abuse they endured, and the intergenerational scars left behind. She emphasized that these were not schools, but sites of cultural erasure and systemic abuse.

This situation is particularly interesting given the recent signing of a Friendship Accord between Garden River First Nation and the city of Sault Ste. Marie, intended to foster “reconciliation and prosperity as equal partners.” Bell frames Bankas’s performance as a direct contradiction of that agreement. The city’s Mayor, Matthew Shoemaker, has largely deferred the decision to the Sault Community Theatre Centre, stating it’s a matter for them to resolve in consultation with local First Nations. This is a classic political maneuver – appearing supportive of reconciliation while avoiding direct involvement in a potentially explosive situation.

Bankas, who has not responded to requests for comment, is quickly becoming a lightning rod for controversy. His “unfiltered” comedy, as advertised in his tour title, is clearly resonating with a segment of the population, but at a growing cost. The pattern of cancellations suggests a calculated risk on his part – courting controversy for attention, perhaps, but also demonstrating a lack of willingness to engage with the concerns raised. The Algoma District School Board has even alerted the theatre centre, prompting a review of Bankas’s material against their mission statement. This isn’t simply about “wokeness,” as some might claim; it’s about a community holding a venue accountable to its stated values and a treaty agreement.

The Sault Community Theatre Centre now faces a significant PR challenge. Cancelling the show risks accusations of censorship, while proceeding could be seen as a betrayal of the Friendship Accord and a disregard for the trauma experienced by Indigenous communities. Their decision will undoubtedly set a precedent for how other venues navigate similar situations in the future, and will be closely watched by both sides of this increasingly polarized debate. The industry will be watching to see if this becomes a turning point in how venues balance artistic freedom with social responsibility.