Notley slams Kenney after white nationalists visit UCP’s pub night
EDMONTON Premier Rachel Notley chided Opposition leader Jason Kenney Tuesday, saying he must address why some espousing racist and bigoted views are being drawn to the United Conservative Party and call them out.
Notley spoke with media Tuesday morning following a weekend furor in which UCP candidate hopefuls in Edmonton were photographed with members of Soldiers of Odin — a white nationalist, anti-immigration group — at a UCP pub night.
“The question is, why are these folks showing up at these events and feeling as though they are welcome? If you use dog-whistle politics often enough, eventually ... people are going to respond to the whistle,” Notley said.
Speaking with reporters in Calgary Tuesday, Kenney labelled the incident “an act of political mischief” by the Alberta Independence Party, calling Soldiers of Odin “kooky” and “racist.”
Notley urged Albertans to work against “growing comfort with commentary which previously we would have said was absolutely unacceptable,” regardless of their party affiliations.
UCP nomination candidates for Edmonton-West Henday Nicole Williams and Leila Houle posted a joint statement on Facebook over the weekend saying they had no idea who the group was when they posed Friday for photos.
Members of the group were wearing vests bearing the organization’s insignia and the words “Soldiers of Odin Edmonton” at the time, and hats embroidered with the initials S.O.O.
The third candidate hopeful, Lance Coulter, has made no public statement and has not yet returned requests for comment.
Williams and Houle said people running for office are regularly photographed with members of the public, and they didn’t know what S.O.O. stands for.
“While we are competing against one another for the UCP ... nomination, we are united in denouncing the hateful views of the ridiculously named Soldiers of Odin,’” they wrote. “Had we had known at the time, we certainly would not have had our pictures taken with these individuals. Moreover, we would have requested that they be removed from the venue or that the UCP event relocate elsewhere.”
Notley said her concern is it’s not an isolated case.
“Over the last number of months, there have been at least eight cases where UCP candidates seeking nominations (have) espoused racist and or homophobic views. In six of those cases, the UCP allowed those candidates to stand for nomination,” she said.
“Given the pattern of behaviour, I think it’s fair for Albertans to conclude that the UCP has a bit of a problem and quite frankly Mr. Kenney needs to address this.”
Kenney posted a statement over the weekend condemning Soldiers of Odin and “any group that promote racial prejudice.”
On Tuesday, Kenney said Soldiers of Odin weren’t invited to the public event and turned up only to embarrass Williams and Houle, who are Metis and Cree respectively.
He offered no explanation as to why Coulter was also photographed with the group.
“This is nothing to do with our candidates. Our candidates are the victims of this situation,” Kenney said. “Our Cree and Metis candidates were clearly set up in an act of political mischief.”
Postmedia has reached out to the Alberta Independence Party for comment.