DID HE REALLY SAY THAT?
Ward Sutherland, seeking re-election in Ward 1, insists he didn’t utter an anti-Semitic slur as he was discussing public art at an all-candidates event Wednesday.
A Calgary councillor seeking reelection is insisting he said Johnny “Choo” — not “Johnny Jew” — after drawing criticism for what was perceived as an anti-Semitic slur at a packed all-candidates debate Wednesday evening.
In a statement sent to news media Thursday afternoon, hours after a video of Ward 1 Coun. Ward Sutherland’s remarks were widely shared online, Sutherland disputed he used the term “Johnny Jew from New York” while speaking about public art.
“During our discussion about public art at the forum I referenced a famous New York designer with the last name of Choo,” the statement from Sutherland said.
“The point I was hoping to drive home was the importance of utilizing local artists rather than those from abroad.”
While Sutherland didn’t say which Choo from New York he was referencing, there is a Jimmy Choo who designs women’s shoes and lives in the United Kingdom.
In his statement, Sutherland encourages “anyone with questions to watch the video of the forum,” and notes no reaction from the crowd was made after his comments.
Rabbi Mark Glickman of Temple B’nai Tikvah watched the video Thursday morning and said, “It sure sounded like Johnny Jew.”
“If he said Johnny Choo, I don’t know what that means,” said Glickman. “‘Johnny Jew’ is not a very widely used term, but it is an antiSemitic canard and language like that has no place in civilized political discourse. I would hope the Calgary community would have no tolerance for such language and Calgary voters will take that into consideration when they decide who they’re going to vote for.”
Despite Sutherland’s explanation behind his remarks, the University of Calgary Graduate Students’ Association said it had voted unanimously Thursday to revoke a political leadership award it gave Sutherland in April.
Sutherland said late Thursday he was horrified at how his comments were interpreted and had called Glickman to ensure there was a clear understanding of what he said at the debate.
“I condemn any kind of racism totally,” Sutherland said, adding there’s been a trend of negative campaigning this election.
“Three days before voting, it’s political and there’s an ulterior motive behind this.”
The controversial remarks from incumbent Sutherland came in response to a moderator’s question at an all-candidates forum held at the Tuscany Club, and come in the midst of an election marred by accusations of racism.
Both Coral Bliss Taylor and Chris Blatch, who are also vying for the Ward 1 seat and sat on stage with Sutherland at Wednesday’s debate, said he clearly said “Johnny Jew,” though no candidates appeared to react in a video of the forum.
“This is consistent with what we’ve come to expect from Ward,” Bliss Taylor said.
Blatch labelled Sutherland’s “Choo” explanation as a flimsy excuse for an offensive statement.
“I heard it. People in the crowd heard it … It just came out so casually, so comfortably from his tongue, everyone was a bit shocked,” Blatch said.
The remarks were made when candidates were asked to pick a “contentious” election issue from a list that included bike lanes, fluoridation and art projects, and to speak about how they would approach the topic if elected.
“One of the things dear to my heart, actually, is the situation with the arts,” began Sutherland, who talked about what the Medicine Hill development, next to Canada Olympic Park, will eventually look like. “A lot of it has different Aboriginal features in it. And then 20 metres away, we get these towers. To me, I thought it was KerPlunk when I first saw it. It just showed how a system can be broken,” said Sutherland, referencing the controversial $500,000 Bowfort Towers public artwork created by Del Geist that spurred controversy in August.
Sutherland went on to speak about an unsuccessful attempt to change the city’s contentious art policy in late 2013, after he was first elected.
“As I dove into the weeds, I found one of the biggest issues was the fact that the people, the committee that was picking the art, first of all, 10 out of the 10 people were artists. And, when they were looking at it, they’re going, ‘Well, Johnny Jew from New York, he’s the best artist, so we’re going to use him and not even look at it,’” he said.
Sutherland told the audience he lost the pitch to change to the art policy in a 4-11 vote.
“The good thing about Bowfort Towers is because it was so embarrassing and it was election time, the 11 individuals that voted against it now voted to freeze the program and we’re going to review it. Thank you,” he finished, referencing a September decision by council.
Ward 11 Coun. Brian Pincott, who is not seeking re-election, said he’s not entirely surprised by the remarks, adding he’s heard similar talk before from council colleagues over the years.
“Racism and misogyny is a problem, a challenge on council and something needs to be done about it,” said Pincott.
Cole Christensen is also vying for the Ward 1 seat and attended Wednesday’s debate.
“The remarks made by the incumbent councillor at last night’s Ward 1 debate are reprehensible,” said Christensen.
Competitor Cam Khan, who was sitting beside Sutherland at the debate, said he’s not sure what was said but decried “Johnny Jew” as a racist comment.
Reached Thursday, Geist, the artist behind Bowfort Towers, refused to comment on Sutherland’s remarks.
Martin Sampson, director of communications at CIJA, the advocacy agent of the Calgary Jewish Federation, said Sutherland’s words, as he understood them, are “utterly unbecoming of an elected official, or any person of goodwill for that matter.”
“Whatever the intent of the comment, it was an inappropriate use of language that perpetuates antiSemitic stereotypes and as such is unacceptable,” Sampson said in a statement.