Unapproved racist float sneaked into rodeo parade

The Sundre Pro Rodeo is apologizing after photos surfaced from the event's Saturday morning parade of a racist and politically charged float, which parade officials say joined the procession without approval.

The float showed a tractor, driven by a man in a mask holding an Alberta flag, pulling a manure spreader marked “The Liberal” which carried another man wearing a fake beard and a turban, brandishing what appeared to be a pitchfork. While the exact message the float was attempting to convey remains unclear, several from the Sikh community have condemned it as a racist act.

The Sundre Pro Rodeo said the float was not approved to join the parade and apologized for the oversight, saying that the display would've never been allowed to participate had organizers known about it. The parade committee said the display sneaked into the parade without passing through the approval process.

“The entry was not approved and, upon further investigation, joined the parade without passing through any registration,” the committee wrote in a statement shared on the Sundre Pro Rodeo Facebook page. “The committee is committed to ensuring that entries will be reviewed in any future events to prevent this from happening.”

The Dashmesh Culture Centre, a Sikh community centre in Calgary, said it was disappointed and saddened to see the “horrendous display of racism toward the Sikh community.” They called for a dialogue with rodeo and parade organizers.

“We hope dialogue will help end these senseless displays of ignorance towards minorities,” wrote the organization in a Twitter post.

Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal and Calgary Forest Lawn MP Jasraj Singh Hallan condemned the float, saying racism has no place in Canada. Chahal said Sikhs have been a “steadfast force for good” in Alberta, calling the float a despicable display of racism, while Hallan said the display was “absolutely disgusting.”

The man who took the photos that sparked the social media stir, Mike Crampton, was at the parade to watch his daughter's marching band when his wife spotted the float. He picked up his camera to snap some photos saying it was “unbelievable” that somebody would think the display was funny or appropriate for the event.

“I don't blame the organizers, but it's more the reaction to it, right? (There were) lots of people clapping and cheering and thinking that's hilarious and it's just like, `Oh my God, like where are we here?'”

Postmedia attempted to contact the parade committee for further comment but did not receive a response by press time.