Gurbax Singh Malhi

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Conservative MP insults Sikh community

April 18, 2008
Daily South Asian Free Press
Amit Gossai, SAFP Correspondent

TORONTO - The Tories continue to boil in hot water after a Conservative, Calgary MP and Secretary of State for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney, was caught making insensitive and racist comments regarding Sikhs.

A recording from 2000 has resurfaced that has Kenney suggesting that Sikhs will use "the race card" to win arguments.

In the audio recording of a conference call, Kenny says: "How do we know that this isn't overheated Sikhs using the race card, which they so often do when their credentials are being questioned?"

"I did use those remarks in a particular context and I don't think they were appropriate. I expressed regret at the time, I do so again," said Kenney. "I've devoted much of my time in public life to promoting the active involvement of Canadians from diverse backgrounds in our political institutions."

Kenney was an MP and the co-chair of the Canadian Alliance campaign when, in October 2000, he led a conference call to address a rumour that an Alliance riding association executive belonged to a Canadian neo-Nazi white supremacist group.

Liberal MP for Mississauga-Brampton South Navdeep Bains says that this is just a reminder to Canadians that this party (Conservatives) says one thing behind closed doors and another in public.

"These attitudes are racist and insensitive. They represent a Conservative view of Canada, that is intolerant and marked by division," said Bains. "We have built a modern and progressive society and comments like this do not reflect the new Canada. By appointing Mr. Kenny as the Minster responsible for Multiculturalism, the Prime Minister has shown a clear lack judgment."

Liberal MP for Brampton-Springdale Dr. Ruby Dhalla suggests that this is just another example of the lack of respect the Tories have for Canadian immigrants.

"As the Member of Parliament for Brampton-Springdale, I can assure you these comments hit close to home for many of my constituents," said Dhalla. "The Conservative Government continues to break its promise to immigrant communities by failing to issue an apology to Indo-Canadians for the Komagata Maru incident; failing to address the issues impacting immigrant communities; and ushering harmful immigration amendments."

Liberal MP for Bramalea-Gore-Malton Gurbax Malhi finds it hard to believe that Kenney, after making such intolerant comments is now the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism.

"For me, the most disturbing part about this tape is that, when faced with the possibility that a member of his party's local campaign might have been a neo-Nazi, it seems that Mr. Kenney's first instinct was to blame the Sikhs," said Malhi. "Between Mr. Kenney's comments and Immigration Minister Diane Finley's attempts to secretly change Canada's immigration policy, it's no wonder that immigrants are suspicious of the Conservative Party's hidden agenda."

Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale said the resurfacing of Kenney's inappropriate comments is the latest in a pattern of controversial remarks caught on tape.

"Tape recordings are a problem for this government," said Goodale. "The Minister of Multiculturalism accusing the Sikh community of racism, on tape. Senator Angus saying Conservatives are divided over Bill C-10 and censorship, on tape. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Government House Leader demeaning gay people, on tape. The Border Services Agency destroying evidence of misused Tasers - it was on tape until they got rid of it.

"Is this the government strategy, deny their own words, all that self-incrimination, destroy the evidence and have an election before Canadians can find out the truth?"

According to the Liberal Party, it's time for the Tories to stop preaching account