Town of Essex councillor under fire for `Chinese flu' comment
The integrity commissioner for the Town of Essex is investigating alleged racist comments by town councillor Chris Vander Doelen.
Integrity commissioner Robert Swayze has received more than 50 complaints after Vander Doelen posted on Twitter about testing positive for “the Chinese flu.”
Many of the complainants called for immediate court action or for Vander Doelen to be removed from office. However, the commissioner does not have the authority to do that.
The commissioner's powers under the Municipal Act include recommending suspending a councillor's pay for up to 90 days or a formal council reprimand.
Swayze is tentatively scheduled to report his findings and recommendations to council May 17.
That's not enough, said Coun. Sherry Bondy, who will make an emergency motion at the next council meeting April 19 calling for a special meeting to address the issue.
“A month is a long time when something is festering in the community,” she said.
“People want to know we're listening. We can at least show council is listening.”
She wants Vander Doelen removed from committees that he is paid to serve on.
Vander Doelen, who retired five years ago from the Windsor Star and has served on council since being elected in 2018, posted the following on Friday: “Damn. My test for the Chinese flu came back positive. So I hafta lay low for another week — a punishment worse than the illness proved to be.”
Dozens of comments in response on Twitter criticized the comment as racist, demanded an apology and urged residents to speak out against the town councillor.
Vander Doelen remained unapologetic online despite the backlash and further tweeted in response to one of his critics: “Oh you pathetic socialist git. COVID stands for “Chinese Origin Virus etc.” Only apologists for their murderous regime take issue with it.”
According to the World Health Organization, COVID stands for Corona Virus Disease. The councillor has since deleted that tweet.
Among critics online were local MP Irek Kusmierczyk (L — Windsor-tecumseh) who tweeted: “This statement is unacceptable & I urge Councillor (Vander Doelen) to remove it immediately. All of us have a role in combating rising anti-asian racism & I call on our local leaders to stand up to all forms of racism & discrimination.”
University of Windsor professor and cancer researcher Lisa Porter tweeted: “You are in a leadership role? The good people of @Essexon deserve better. You need to take a step back and educate yourself.”
Perhaps the strongest criticism came from former Essex MP Tracey Ramsey, who also will run as an NDP candidate in the next federal election. She will be writing and filing a complaint with the town's integrity commissioner and called on others to do the same.
She made reference to the rise of anti-asian hate crimes — globally and locally.
“A strong message needs to be sent,” said Ramsey on Saturday of the councillor's comments. “These type of racist comments and xenophobia cannot go unchecked. This is not acceptable behaviour from anyone, let alone an elected official.
“We have seen hate crimes against Asians rise in staggering numbers. That is being fed by these ideologies that somehow this virus is the fault of one group of people.”
Ramsey was “shocked” when she first saw Vander Doelen's comments.
“An apology is not enough and that's why I'm encouraging people to speak up and contact the integrity commissioner,” she said.
“This is not acceptable and he needs to be held accountable.”
The Essex County Chinese Canadian Association (ECCCA) also released a statement Saturday indicating it was “disturbed” by the comments.
“It is unfortunate that he has been diagnosed with the illness and we hope for his speedy recovery,” the association said. “However, his Twitter statement is unacceptable for someone in his position holding public office.”
For 45 years, members of ECCCA have “contributed positively to our Windsor and Essex community.”
“We believe that Mr. Vander Doelen's comments are unnecessary and harmful,” the group said.
“Calling his diagnosis the `Chinese flu' is a racist slur that is demeaning not just as a xenophobic attack, but also an open and broad disregard for the Chinese and Asian communities in Essex and the surrounding region. Mr. Vander Doelen must surely be aware of the anti-asian attacks in Canada over the past year — attacks that have, per capita, exceeded those reported in the U.S.”
Comments such as those made by the councillor “have a very real and damaging impact on Asian-canadian communities, the association said.
“We ask Mr. Vander Doelen to apologize for his remarks and remove them from his Twitter feed. We also ask that all elected leaders in Windsor and Essex County condemn anti-asian racism and all forms of racism and work together with racialized communities to build a more tolerant and inclusive society.”
A Change.org petition, “Call for Resignation of Chris Vander Doelen for racist remarks! Stop Asian Hate !!!! ” had garnered more than 600 names as of Monday.
Vander Doelen, long known for his right-wing views, defended his words in an interview with the Star on Saturday and said he is simply being targeted by left-wing activists.
“They are saying I should be removed from council,” he said. “For what? I said this is a Chinese-origin virus. The fact is it comes from China. The leftist Twitter mob wants me silenced and cancelled. This is cancel culture and COVID shaming.”
He believes most of the online criticism directed at him comes from outside the town.
“I suspect only about 100 people from Ward 3 in Essex may have viewed this,” Vander Doelen said. “It's taken on a life of its own. People are attacking me mercilessly. They will go after anyone who is Conservative. A lot of the names I have seen are people who don't want me to win on council. They think this is the way to do it.
“The Canadian economy is ruined, 23,000 people have died and they want me to apologize (and say the virus) doesn't come from China.”
If an integrity commissioner investigation occurs based on the complaints, Vander Doelen said he would “welcome that.”
“It will be a waste of taxpayer money,” he said. “A lawyer is not going to rule against free speech and criticizing a totalitarian government. I believe he will throw this out. These people want mob justice and it's very clear that's a dangerous trend.”
Essex Mayor Larry Snively on Saturday said the town “denounces the language” used by Vander Doelen.
“There is no place for these kinds of statements in our community and they do not reflect the beliefs of council nor the town of Essex,” he said. “The impact of these kinds of statements is undeniable. As head of council, I have asked Coun. Vander Doelen to retract his statements and issue a public apology.”
Snively indicated he and others on council had “received a significant number of phone calls, emails, and social media messages” regarding Vander Doelen.
“We appreciate everyone who has shared their concerns with us and we understand that official complaints are in the process of being filed with the integrity commissioner, who has the independent authority to initiate investigations into the conduct of individual council members,” he said. “Council and I continue to be committed to making our community a place where everyone belongs.”
The mayor reiterated before a council meeting on Monday that “these are not the words of our council.”
Referring to the integrity commissioner's investigation, he said, “Many community members are seeking immediate action and will be frustrated by this delay. But I ask this process to be followed and please be respected.”