The mayor of Winnipeg says he believes the Edmonton Eskimos should consider changing their team name.

“I think there’s an opportunity to have a more inclusive name,” Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said during a press conference in Winnipeg on Wednesday. “That’s ultimately a decision for the team though.”

Mayor Bowman, who is Metis, added that he respects Edmonton’s CFL team, and its organization, and is looking forward to Saturday’s football game when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Eskimos.

The Edmonton Eskimos responded to the mayor’s remarks with a statement on Wednesday, that the team is actively listening to conversations about its name. They added that they use the name with “pride and respect.”

“If the Mayor of Winnipeg has an opinion he’d like to share with us, he should do so,” the statement read.

With files from CTV Edmonton