Edmonton mayoral candidates present plans to tackle anti-Muslim racism

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Tightening street harassment bylaws, improving responses to hate-motivated attacks and appealing to racist rhetoric are among the strategies some Edmonton mayoral candidates say they would use to fight anti-Muslim hatred.

Five of the candidates vying for the seat of mayor took part Thursday evening in an online forum set up by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCMM).

Moderator Mustafa Farooq asked Kim Krushell, Mike Nickel, Michael Oshry, Amarjeet Sohi and Diana Steele about their plans to tackle not only hate-motivated attacks, but feelings of public racism as well.

There have been several hate-motivated attacks against black and racialized Muslim women this year. During an anti-COVIDrestrictions protest in the Alberta Legislature in February, some protesters carried lighted torches, a symbol of white supremacy used by the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, and more recently by white supremacists during of the 2017 murderous rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“We had these people who mobilized in our city. The violence, the groups, tearing the social fabric of our city apart,” Farooq said.

Candidate Kim Krushell said she wants people from more diverse backgrounds trained to serve on city boards and that city leaders need to be outspoken in speaking out against racism.

“I think it’s really important, whoever our next mayor is, that they stand up and make it clear that hissing dogs and racism is just unacceptable,” she said. “And I think that’s where the leadership begins and I would if I was the mayor of Edmonton.”

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If elected, candidate Amarjeet Sohi has said he will put in place a rapid response to help victims of racist attacks get help from the city and the Edmonton police.

“Publishing a press release or posting a tweet will not be enough under my leadership,” he said. “I’ll be out there in the trenches with you. Standing shoulder to shoulder. And fighting together to end this evil.”

He also said he would crack down on hatred by strengthening city bylaws.

Edmonton Mayoral Candidates in 60 Seconds Nine of the 11 Edmonton mayoral candidates who responded to CBC Edmonton to participate in a series of video vignettes briefly introduce themselves and explain why they should be the city’s next mayor. 6:37

A solution to racism cannot simply be the creation of another committee or more promises, candidate Mike Nickel said. He said he would try to fix the systems currently in place for better results.

“These are the nuts and bolts coming from the communities that will drive the solution. And in particular the solutions that are at the ground level of the community they are in. It is not an easy solution. It will take time. time, “he said.

Candidate Diana Steele said she supports strengthening regulations on street harassment, as well as other recommendations made by the CNMC that would see the creation of consultative circles, celebrating Canadian Muslim history and leadership.

“Outline the expectations and show Edmontonians what’s okay and what’s not,” Steele said.

Candidate Michael Oshry says police need to do a better job of following up on hate crime investigations, but said one of the challenges for the city is for higher levels of government to pass tougher crime legislation hateful.

“Without the legislation, we can’t do a lot, a lot of things,” Oshry said.

Edmontonians will go to the polls on October 18 and elect a new mayor and 12 councilors.

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