The owner of a controversial parade ship in Alberta, which sparked controversy after photos of it began circulating online this weekend, said.
Lynn Hoff was behind the float that appeared at the Sundre Pro Rodeo parade on Saturday.
It was a John Deere tractor pulling a Liberal manure spreader with red letters, driven by a volunteer dressed as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while another volunteer dressed as NDP leader Jagmit Singh sat on his back. .
Hoff says this is political satire.
“The last thing he did was be racist,” she told CTV News.
“If the leader of the NDP party was a blonde woman, I would be there. It had nothing to do with the Sikh community. “
Hoff says Sandre is a very friendly and inclusive city and that sailing is motivated by the turbulent two-year restrictions on COVID-19, both at the federal and provincial levels.
“These blockades prevented Sundre from holding his parade for two years,” Hoff said.
“We just wanted to bring a little frivolity and show that a little bit. There was laughter all the way along the route of the parade.
Unauthorized entry into the Sundre Rode parade in the city of Alberta, including images of Prime Minister Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmit Singh. (Twitter) On Sunday, both Sundre Pro Rodeo and the parade committee said they did not approve of Hoff’s entry.
“The entrance was not approved and after further investigation he joined the parade without going through any registration,” the commission said in a statement posted on Sundre Pro Rodeo’s Facebook page.
Hoff says he is a supporter of the rodeo, but believes there may have been a misunderstanding between the organizers and her.
“I was a little surprised,” she said. “I’m not sneaking in for anything.”
“The Sundre Rodeo Committee is a wonderful group of people, they are all volunteers and I will not contradict what they said, but I think there was a mistake.”
Hoff says those who think the float is offensive have a right to be offended.
“I don’t think it’s done with bad taste,” she said. “It was political satire.”
She says Canada has seen a century-old political satire, citing The Milch Cow, a 1915 political caricature depicting eastern residents collecting awards from hard-working Western Canadians.
A copy of the Dairy Cow, a 1915 political cartoon. “It shows the cow that is Canada,” she said. “This shows that Alberta feeds all the hay, Saskatchewan and Manitoba do more work, and Central Canada gets all the milk, and that really hasn’t changed in 100 years.
Hoff says anyone who finds the float racist or offensive is welcome to visit Sundre.
Mayor Richard Warnock says the city disapproves of any kind of racism.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn of unauthorized navigation and their attempt at a political statement gained access last weekend to an event that our community has been celebrating for years,” Warnock said.
When asked if the alleged racism was not the goal of the float, Warnock said no.
“I do not believe that racism was intended against the Sikh community,” he said.
“But it was taken that way anyway, and therefore we just can’t have it.”
Sundre resident Neran Perso says he is embarrassed that people suggest the float has racist overtones.
“Come here and see for yourself,” he said.
“Don’t just sit in Calgary and shout ‘racism’ because you see something you don’t like. It was a political statement. “
Perso says he has lived in Sundre for five years and has always felt welcome.
“I don’t like it when people say it’s racism and this city is racist,” he said.
“Look at me, I’m a colored man who lives in this town. I’m well received here and I’ve never been told anything humiliating.”
The parade commission says it is introducing measures that will stop similar floats from appearing at the parade in the future.
Calgary Mayor Joti Gondek reaffirmed Monday’s opinion that the float has racist overtones.
After Friday, when women’s rights were restored 50 years ago, what can I say about that? A lot of things. Nothing. You choose. I’m exhausted.
And yet people like me continue, we continue to fight and we continue to push for better.
Do better, people.
– Jyoti Gondek (@JyotiGondek) June 27, 2022
She says it is driving people away from Alberta, a province she says may have a bad reputation for such events.
“It’s not funny, it’s not fun, you’re killing our economy by perpetuating this stereotype,” Gondek said.
Asked what measures have been taken to prevent a fraudster from joining the upcoming parade in Calgary, the organization’s officials issued the following statement:
The Volunteer Parade Committee has an in-depth selection process for its participants, along with security along the route to ensure the safety of participants and guests.
“The Calgary Crash Parade has been held for more than 100 years and has always embodied the spirit of our community.”
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