Kenney supports Innisfail activists
Premier commends anti-racism event after backlash postpones BLM march
Premier Jason Kenney lauded Alberta anti-racism activists on Tuesday, including those whose protest plans have been greeted with anger in central Alberta.
He made the comments the same day Innisfail town council voted unanimously to support a rally of anti-racism activists in the central Alberta community this weekend.
When asked about a planned Black Lives Matter-inspired march for Innisfail postponed due to social media hostility, the premier voiced encouragement for those pushing for action against racism.
“I commend people for speaking out against racism in this current context,” Kenney told reporters.
“If they deny it exists in Alberta, they’re just wrong — they need to listen to the experiences of Black Albertans and people of other minority backgrounds. They need to honour their voices and lived experiences, to reach out and do better.”
Innisfail resident Brittany Bovey had planned a protest march in the town of 8,000 for this Saturday but withdrew the plan after a barrage of criticism, much of it denying there’s a problem of racism there.
But after a surge of support coming from Calgary and elsewhere, she said an information event will go ahead Saturday at a green space in the town 115 kilometres north of the city.
While he said Alberta and Canada have a better record of racial tolerance than many places, Kenney said society here can’t be complacent.
“Racism is always everywhere, it’s a sickness of the soul and must be condemned at every turn,” he said.
Bovey couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.
But backlash, some of it racially tinged, continued Tuesday in response to the Postmedia story on Bovey’s efforts.
“Black lives do not matter ... more than white lives,” stated one email sent to this reporter by someone purporting to live near Innisfail. “They can take their ... anti-white agitation parade and get the hell out of Innisfail!”
Another who didn’t indicate where he lived wrote: “Every single person I’ve talked to this week is 100 per cent fed up with BLM!
“If I wasn’t a racist before, I sure as hell am now — seems to be the general consensus!”
Others insisted that addressing racism only creates division and that discrimination against whites should be equally acknowledged.
“(Such activism) distinguishes Black people as being special. It also is contradictory in that the Black people state they are fighting for inclusion,” wrote one man.
“If you want others to follow and support you, you need to change your movement to all lives matter.”
At least one person said their opposition to the protest is simply rooted in fear participants will bring COVID-19 with them.
But on Tuesday in an emergency meeting, Innisfail town council voted to support an educational gathering of anti-racist activists in the town on Saturday to show the town is tolerant amid a story that’s made national headlines.
A day earlier, Innisfail Mayor Jim Romane said he was taken by surprise by Bovey’s actions and said he wasn’t aware of any racism in his town.
But during Tuesday’s meeting, Romane apologized for what he called a lack of awareness.
“Racism and racial inequality, unfortunately, exist everywhere. Our community — despite my recent comments — is no exception,” he said.
“As we start down the path toward better understanding, myself and the rest of council will be standing in solidarity with those attending the peaceful rally being planned for our community.”
He also pledged to provide whatever resources the rally needs.
Bovey’s efforts and the response to it have also galvanized another group of activists who’ve vowed to take protests and education to small-town Alberta in the coming weeks.
Rural Alberta Against Racism organizer Taylor Mcnallie said she grew up in Cremona and Didsbury where she was confronted by bigoted slurs and other discrimination.
While she said racism is clearly present in cities, Mcnallie added that a lack of racial diversity in many rural areas can breed intolerance.
“When there’s no one of colour to tell them otherwise, it’s ingrained,” she said.
Mcnallie said she’ll be heading to Innisfail on Saturday to support Bovey’s educational gathering.