Joe Volpe apologizes
The cover of the current edition of the Western Standard magazine pokes fun at the Liberal Party, depicting some of its members as ‘Liberanos’ – a play on the television show the Sopranos.
Immigration Minister Joe Volpe was annoyed by this unfortunate portrayal. However, his reaction to two Conservative Members of Parliament chuckling over the publication has members of the human rights community very concerned. The minister likening the Conservative Party to the Ku Klux Klan. Volpe has apologized.
“Does he realize what the KKK stands for?” asked Patrick Hunter, Communications Director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. “We don’t support use of KKK in this context and he should apologize. The KKK is very serious and distinctive. It’s not appropriate. The comment belittles the actual racism perpetrated by (the Klan).”
In a recent release, B'nai Brith Canada, reiterated its call made during last year's election season to all politicians to maintain respectful dialogue.
“Politics ought to be about the issues,” said Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith Canada’s executive vice president. “The Ku Klux Klan is a frightening manifestation of racism at its worst. Such inflammatory rhetoric does not serve the interests of the Canadian public. We hope that all politicians abide by a code of ethics that does not tolerate whatsoever bigotry and racism.”
The Canadian Jewish Congress said it was unaware of the incident and offered no comment.
Avy Go, clinic director of the Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, was not aware of the incident until informed by the Jewish Tribune. “It’s not appropriate,” she said, “to compare a political party that is duly elected to extreme racists. It’s really disturbing,” she added, that it is part of ongoing politicking. “Politics should be based on issues and platforms,” declared Go, and said that playing the racist card like this shows lack of respect for the electorate.
There are some epithets that should be reserved for those who deserve them. Every time one calls someone a Nazi who isn’t; when you use “Holocaust” to describe the killing of cattle as PETA did last year, or describe your opponent as a KKK member, you are diminishing the evil and the impact inherent in those words. As Dr. Karen Mock, the Executive Director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, was quoted in the National Post, if everything is racist then nothing is racist.
As the Tribune went to press, Volpe’s office issued this apology to members of the Conservative Party:
“Earlier this week, I reacted to an outside event in a way that helped further erode the civility that once characterized debate in the House of Commons and the relationship among members of Parliament. I have no wish to further contribute to that erosion, so in the spirit of restoring a focus of the House on issues of concern to all Canadians, I hope this statement will be a positive first step. I am offering you my apologies for the hurtful language employed in that reaction.”
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