[ad_1]
Breadcrumb Trail Links Local News
‘I have been made aware of an appealing clip involving a phone bank contractor we engaged to assist our campaign that I feel is offensive and entirely unacceptable,’ she said in a tweet.
UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia Article content
Presumed UCP leadership race front-runner Danielle Smith has dropped her campaigns phone operatives after videos surfaced showing former Alberta justice minister Jonathan Denis appearing to mock Indigenous people.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content item
On Wednesday, after at least three of the videos circulated widely, Smith tweeted that she was dumping a phone bank contractor working for her campaign. The contractor was later identified as the conservative political organization Progressive Group for Independent Business.
By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up!
Content item
I have been made aware of an appealing clip involving a phone bank contractor we engaged to assist our campaign that I feel is offensive and entirely unacceptable, she said in a tweet.
I will not be associated with such behavior and have instructed my campaign to terminate any contract or other dealings with the company involved.
I have been made aware of an appealing clip involving a phone bank contractor we engaged to assist our campaign that I feel is offensive and entirely unacceptable. I will not be associated with such behavior and have instructed /1
Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) September 28, 2022 Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content item
Smith said that as a person of Indigenous ancestry, she stands in solidarity with First Nations people to dispel any and all stereotypes that undermine their invaluable contributions to our country. (Smith has previously said her grandmother had a relative who was Cherokee.)
Regarding the videos, Smith said: To be clear, the former justice minister in the clip has never had any role in my campaign.
The videos show a man, apparently Denis, speaking in an exaggerated voice into a phone, making comments including youre passing the liquor store and the province has taken away our casino . . . just a bunch of white men coming after us.
In a statement, Denis said he does not recall speaking those words.
I have no recollection of these events, however, it is possible I said them years ago while under the influence of alcohol. If so, I am truly sorry, he said.
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content item
I acknowledge that I overused alcohol in the past and have not in some time. If these are real events, I apologize unreservedly to anyone that I offended.
He also noted the authenticity of the videos has not been established.
Jonathan Denis, former Alberta justice minister, photographed at an Edmonton press conference in 2014. Photo by David Bloom/Postmedia
Longtime conservative political operative Craig Chandler who said he operated Smiths phone bank from his southwest Calgary home since the start of the campaign said he was fired by the Smith team on Wednesday for appearing and speaking briefly in one of the videos.
Some of the videos, he said, were shot outside his then-southeast home two years ago during a barbecue while he and Denis made jokes about a comedy audiotape depicting a fictional Indigenous radio station called Brocket 99 that many consider racist.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content item
This was a private function and was taken out of context. . . We were just joking about that comedy routine, said Chandler, adding another of the widely shared videos wasnt familiar to him.
It had nothing to do with the campaign.
Both he and Denis said the former justice minister never worked on Smiths campaign as a phone volunteer or in any other role, and also rejected the notion theyre racist.
Chandler said hes been ejected from the campaign in its closing days by a candidate spooked by a repeat of the 2012 provincial election, in which a lead for Smiths Wildrose party rapidly evaporated after she didnt condemn a candidate whod made remarks about homosexuals burning in a lake of fire.
Chandler said this week: Ive delivered her (leadership) victory and got thrown under the bus. . . she feels pressure in the last days.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content item
Shes the one who preached against cancel culture and now is doing it.
Nevertheless, Chandler predicted Smith will win the leadership vote, to be decided Oct. 6, and said if she does, hed be happy to help her and the UCP campaign in next springs election.
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said in a tweet Wednesday: Maybe Smith has learned something from the lake of fire.
Advertisement 7
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Content item
His fellow MRU political scientist Lori Williams said the episode likely wont have much bearing on the leadership contest because so many voters have already cast ballots.
But it could have an effect on next springs provincial election if Smith is chosen as UCP leader and premier.
The biggest question is, why was Chandler hired in the first place? Theres a bigger issue of concept, she said.
How is she going to appeal to the general electorate?
In a tweet before Smith fired Chandler, rival leadership Brian Jean called on her to do just that, calling the episode repulsive.
In my first hour as Wildrose leader I was asked to solve a problem that was nowhere as offensive & unacceptable as this is, he posted.
I acted decisively. This isn’t a one-off three videos and one voicemail. It is horrible intentional racist behavior.
Advertisement 8
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content ‘Malicious prank’: Danielle Smith says harassing campaign calls are fake Braid: Brian Jean says ‘incredible turmoil’ of Smith’s past foretells future if she’s premier Braid: Poll shows a tight leadership race, not a Danielle Smith runaway Details of Danielle Smith’s $300 health account met with more criticism, questions Judge denies Jonathan Denis’s attempted stay on contempt conviction
In August, following public complaints about offensive phone calls purportedly coming from the Smith campaign, the candidate and former Wildrose party leader denied they came from her volunteers or staff.
Chandler echoed that denial, saying the phone bank, operated by his Progressive Group for Independent Business, wasnt working at the time of those calls.
The political operative is suing Bratt and MRU for defamation over the academics comments about the issue he made in August legal action that Bratt calls frivolous harassment.
Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn
Share this article in your social network Advertisement 1
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
|
Sources 2/ https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/ucp-hopeful-smith-fires-campaigns-phone-operators-after-racist-remarks The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
[ad_2]