Liberals give the boot to another racist candidate

[Argus]

Not surprising to learn this moronic anti-semite was a former CBC "journalist". Honestly, where do these buttheads come from that still believe the cliche'd old nonsense about all the Jews getting "the word" ahead of 911 and staying home that day? I can understand the denizens of third world shitholes believing that. They're too ignorant to know better. But you'd think someone in the west, a journalist for a major news organization, would have at least half a clue.

As for George Bush organizing something this complicated without anyone finding out - are you kidding me?

But I guess if you're an ignorant liberal bigot who hates Americans and Joooos, you're prepared to accept any kind of wild accusations against them.

[Shakeyhands]

it was nice to see the Leader of the LPC make a decisive move right away and get rid of this moron, surprising to say the least that the leader of the CPC makes excuses for his morons and keeps them around.

nice troll post btw Argus.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Shakeyhands

[craiger]

it was nice to see the Leader of the LPC make a decisive move right away and get rid of this moron, surprising to say the least that the leader of the CPC makes excuses for his morons and keeps them around.

nice troll post btw Argus.

very sickening Harper condones this sort of activity. I comened Dion for taking action

[Wild Bill]

it was nice to see the Leader of the LPC make a decisive move right away and get rid of this moron, surprising to say the least that the leader of the CPC makes excuses for his morons and keeps them around.

nice troll post btw Argus.

Oh don't be inconsistently partisan! The Libs kept Hedy Fry!

How soon we forget. How conveniently, too.

[PoliticalCitizen]

Not surprising to learn this moronic anti-semite was a former CBC "journalist". Honestly, where do these buttheads come from that still believe the cliche'd old nonsense about all the Jews getting "the word" ahead of 911 and staying home that day? I can understand the denizens of third world shitholes believing that. They're too ignorant to know better. But you'd think someone in the west, a journalist for a major news organization, would have at least half a clue.

As for George Bush organizing something this complicated without anyone finding out - are you kidding me?

But I guess if you're an ignorant liberal bigot who hates Americans and Joooos, you're prepared to accept any kind of wild accusations against them.

How many Israelis were killed in the 9/11 attacks on WTC?

When I searched (and that was a long while ago) I found 3 and their names were not Jewish.

How can you blame someone for stating something obvious?

Edited September 26, 2008 by PoliticalCitizen

[Argus]

it was nice to see the Leader of the LPC make a decisive move right away and get rid of this moron,

Yes, it would have been nice - except that's not what happened. He tried to shrug it off at first, but hounding by reporters got so bad he was forced to change his mind.

surprising to say the least that the leader of the CPC makes excuses for his morons and keeps them around.

I think there's a difference between cracking a dark humored joke and expressing a belief that the Jews and George Bush blew up the WTC.

Edited September 27, 2008 by Argus

[Argus]

How many Israelis were killed in the 9/11 attacks on WTC?

When I searched (and that was a long while ago) I found 3 and their names were not Jewish.

How can you blame someone for stating something obvious?

So if I say you're a moron, that's okay, right?

[scribblet]

very sickening Harper condones this sort of activity. I comened Dion for taking action

Where has Harper ever said he condoned this sort of activity, get real.

[sharkman]

Poor Dion, the Liberals just can't get any momentum. How many NDP and Liberal candidates have been turfed now, 4? This must be a record of some kind.

[BubberMiley]

I think it's a pretty ridiculous to immediately scream "anti-semite" whenever someone mentions the fact that some people (some of whom came from Israel, others from Germany, others from Russia) appeared to have advance information about 9/11 (and even warned the U.S. government about it).

Is it political correctness run amuck, or just a desire to shut down the debate before it happens?

[Jobu]

it was nice to see the Leader of the LPC make a decisive move right away and get rid of this moron, surprising to say the least that the leader of the CPC makes excuses for his morons and keeps them around.

nice troll post btw Argus.

Decisive action? bahahaha

Dion wanted the Canadian Jewish Congress to make the decision for him and he waffled forever!

Make the decision yourself, Dion.

Nice leadership!

What would he do as PM? Ask the Canadian Jewish Congress before making decisions?

[Shakeyhands]

Yes, it would have been nice - except that's not what happened. He tried to shrug it off at first, but hounding by reporters got so bad he was forced to change his mind.

I think there's a difference between cracking a dark humored joke and expressing a belief that the Jews and George Bush blew up the WTC.

which dark humoured joke? The one about faggots with Dirty fingernails? Or the one about immigrants being responsible for crimes? Or the one poking fun at the listerosis deaths? I'm getting lost in all the dark humour!

I believe Dion took the time to investigate what was said and then made a decision once he had the facts. Kudos to him as well for actually talking to the press.... We know his rival and followers seem to have a real issue with that too!

Edited September 27, 2008 by Shakeyhands

[DrGreenthumb]

which dark humoured joke? The one about faggots with Dirty fingernails? Or the one about immigrants being responsible for crimes? Or the one poking fun at the listerosis deaths? I'm getting lost in all the dark humour!

I believe Dion took the time to investigate what was said and then made a decision once he had the facts. Kudos to him as well for actually talking to the press.... We know his rival and followers seem to have a real issue with that too!

I was actually pretty impressed with how Dion handled this, he fired his candidate when her racism became apparent. What does it say about Harper and the conservatives that when his candidate in Calgary centre suggests that immigrants are the cause of crime, and Harper condones it? Are these views acceptable to the Conservative party? Does Harper share his candidates opinion that immigrants are the cause of crime? Will this be reflected in conservative/reform policies? I know that several conservative posters here believe this but I didn't know it was official Harper policy.

[BubberMiley]

Lesley Hughes is not racist.

[Shakeyhands]

Oh don't be inconsistently partisan! The Libs kept Hedy Fry!

How soon we forget. How conveniently, too.

How does that even compare? Streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch it Bill.

[kengs333]

I was actually pretty impressed with how Dion handled this, he fired his candidate when her racism became apparent. What does it say about Harper and the conservatives that when his candidate in Calgary centre suggests that immigrants are the cause of crime, and Harper condones it? Are these views acceptable to the Conservative party? Does Harper share his candidates opinion that immigrants are the cause of crime? Will this be reflected in conservative/reform policies? I know that several conservative posters here believe this but I didn't know it was official Harper policy.

Well, no, he made it quite clear that the CJC had wanted him to do it, and so he did it.

Claiming that certain people may have been tipped off somehow is not exactly racist. Israel is in the habit of feeding intelligence about terrorists to the United States, and it is not beyond the realm of possibility that some would have been withheld in order to facilitate the entry of the US into a "war on terror," ie. to give Bush the justification he needed to go to war with Iraq.

[kengs333]

I think there's a difference between cracking a dark humored joke and expressing a belief that the Jews and George Bush blew up the WTC.

Is that what she claims? I'm under the impression that she only states that some people we tipped off about the attack.

I believe ABC ran a story a few days after the attacks about a group of Israeli citizens who were seen cheering as the the WTC was burning. They were later tracked down to Israel, where they had hastily returned to, where they of course denied their behaviour (despite numerous witnesses) and apparently links to the Israeli secret service.

[capricorn]

I was actually pretty impressed with how Dion handled this, he fired his candidate when her racism became apparent.

No, he wanted the opinion of the CJC as to whether her views and writing were anti-semetic before he made his decision. He became agitated by the repeated questions from the reporters. His decision was based more on external reaction than coming to his own reasoned conclusion.

What does it say about Harper and the conservatives that when his candidate in Calgary centre suggests that immigrants are the cause of crime, and Harper condones it?

Harper knew of Richardson's record of working for the immigrant community. Immigrant groups and advocates have come to Lee Richardson's defence on the basis of his record. Harper's decision to keep Lee onboard says that, if Richardson is re-elected, the riding and its immigrant community will continue to have strong representation as they have had for years.

Here's what former Premier Lougheed says about Richardson, who worked with him in Edmonton and Calgary from 1974-83.

"That's completely false. There's no foundation to it at all. I've worked with Lee over many years and I know from his statements and his actions that it's not the way he thinks."

The allegations also surprised Henry Mandelbaum, from Colombia, whose family's Canadian citizenship approvals were expedited by Richardson's office.

"He helped us so much when we had long delays in getting our citizenship," Mandelbaum says.

"Anything they say about him like that is not true. I'm shocked to hear anybody say that about him."

Richardson employs an assistant who spends most of her time solving problems for immigrants.

This week alone, Robyn Turner tells me, she sent questions on behalf of applicants to the Canadian embassies in Kenya, Egypt, Pakistan, India, China and the United Arab Emirates.

"He's not a racist!" says Turner. "Lee gives me free rein to do as much as I possibly can. We have even gone before the federal court and immigration tribunals to support applicants."

----

Ward 8 Ald. John Mar, of Chinese descent, supports Richardson.

"Lee has been representing Chinatown for years as MP," Mar says. "He has a lot of friends in the Chinese community, including my father, Allan Mar. He represents the very best of Calgary in terms of support for multiculturalism.

"He is not a racist or a bigot, and anybody who knows him knows that."

Mar sits on Richardson's riding board and sports a big Conservative campaign sign on his lawn.

Richardson's accusers surely know he's not hostile to immigrants, if they know anything at all about Calgary.

But the goal here isn't to take down Richardson, who's virtually unbeatable in the riding anyway. The hope is to create a national furor that hurts the Conservatives in immigrant areas elsewhere.

As usual in this campaign, the truth has nothing to do with it.

http://www.canada.com/components/print.asp...6f3&sponsor

Even the Liberal candidate says Richardson's not a racist.

Heesung Kim, the Liberal running against Lee, is an immigrant from South Korea and finds the MP's statements "disgraceful."

She was shocked when she read them.

"I know him and it doesn't seem to be in his character."

The Liberal candidate figures Lee should have picked his words far more carefully.

"People say politicians shouldn't be politically correct. Politicians are supposed to be politically correct."

Of course, the voters of Calgary Centre will be the final judges on Lee.

On the Tories as a whole, that's a bigger picture.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Bel...6886026-sun.php

The difference between Richardson and Hughes as viable and credible candidates is startling.

Edited September 27, 2008 by capricorn

[betsy]

it was nice to see the Leader of the LPC make a decisive move right away and get rid of this moron, surprising to say the least that the leader of the CPC makes excuses for his morons and keeps them around.

nice troll post btw Argus.

Dion tried to downplay it at a rally yesterday morning when one reporter challenged him when he (Dion) demanded Richardson be forced to resign. The reporter asked him about his double standard - how come he doesn't force this Lberal MP to resign. Dion made a lame excuse that she is dealing with the Jewish Congress and that he (Dion) has great respect for the Jewish Congress.

JCTV journalist Fife covering the rally said that a member of the Jewish Congress already asked for the resignation of this MP.

[kengs333]

I think it's a pretty ridiculous to immediately scream "anti-semite" whenever someone mentions the fact that some people (some of whom came from Israel, others from Germany, others from Russia) appeared to have advance information about 9/11 (and even warned the U.S. government about it).

Is it political correctness run amuck, or just a desire to shut down the debate before it happens?

I think Canadians should be concerned in general. Not only does this raise concerns about freedom of the press, but it also raises questions about the power that certain special interest groups have in influencing or (potential) leaders.

In my opinion, I think the most virulent bigoted opinions in the country are those expressed towards Christians, and my guess is that there are numerous candidates in this election that at one time expressed in printed or spoken word hatred towards Christ, Christians, and the Bible. But the chances of any of these people being exposed and/or "fired" for such conduct is remote to none.

[Wild Bill]

How does that even compare? Streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch it Bill.

Non-existing KKK burning crosses in British Columbian ridings?

Compares very well to me!

[betsy]

How does that even compare? Streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch it Bill.

It's worse, actually! What was she saying? That the KKK is active in BC? All non-whites beware because you're all in danger of getting lynched and hanged?

Not only was she clearly stoking the fires of hate and distrust towards white folks, but she was being divisive!

US AGAINST THEM! That's how I understood Hedy Fry!

[jdobbin]

Yes, it would have been nice - except that's not what happened. He tried to shrug it off at first, but hounding by reporters got so bad he was forced to change his mind.

How so? The Canadian Jewish Congress said that Dion had consulted them as well as a few others about the article in question to determine whether the writing was antisemitic or misguided.

I saw the news conference where Dion was questioned about what was happening and he said that he was looking into the situation. He did and he acted accordingly.

The only thing I thought was poor was not informing the candidate right away. Having the media do it was just bad form.

Edited September 27, 2008 by jdobbin

[PoliticalCitizen]

So if I say you're a moron, that's okay, right?

Wow, that's a pretty strong argument...

I think you've outperformed Master Bush!

Edited September 27, 2008 by PoliticalCitizen

[jdobbin]

No, he wanted the opinion of the CJC as to whether her views and writing were anti-semetic before he made his decision. He became agitated by the repeated questions from the reporters. His decision was based more on external reaction than coming to his own reasoned conclusion.

He said he was going to consult before making a decision and he did. The media wants decisions based on 15 minute news cycle updates. That is difficult to do based on articles that Dion, his team or outside consultants need to read and seek advice on.

I don't think any party has been able to make that type of decision. Even Layton and Harper needed a few hours to assess the veracity and harm their candidates were having on the campaign.

Harper knew of Richardson's record of working for the immigrant community. Immigrant groups and advocates have come to Lee Richardson's defence on the basis of his record. Harper's decision to keep Lee onboard says that, if Richardson is re-elected, the riding and its immigrant community will continue to have strong representation as they have had for years.

The difference between Richardson and Hughes as viable and credible candidates is startling.

And Hughes had a long record of teaching about the holocaust and working on Jewish education according to human rights lawyer David Matas. He said it was not in her character but it was nevertheless an offensive view that she didn't seem to have changed her mind on.