"Let's stop racism"...

UPDATE**** Vellecotte steps down as chair...woohoo...

Looking at my neon pink "Let's STOP racism" pin from the 90's makes....I feel a little alarmed when the people who Harper is supporting are people who are publicly known for their racially derogatory comments…

-Maurice Vellecotte, MP is Stephen Harper’s choice to lead the Commons aboriginal committee. He supported the police officers who were embroiled in the hate act of leaving an Aboriginal man out to die in the winter temperatures.

-Mr. Morgan was recently given the post of public appointments commission. He blamed immigrants from certain regions of the world for violence in Canada. He specifically named Jamaican and Asians for ethnic violence in Canada.

Why is Harper’s Conservative government rewarding people who make racist comments?

Racism is a serious issue in Canada and I don’t understand why a Prime Minister would promote individuals that exude racial attitudes.

If “Standing up for Canada” means putting racist people into positions of power…then next election we should be moving Canada forward, not backwards.

S.

Marchers protest Vellacott nomination
The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Page: A9
Section: Local
Byline: Sarah MacDonald
Source: The StarPhoenix

About 100 people marched from the First Nations University of Canada's Saskatoon campus to MP Maurice Vellacott's office Friday afternoon to protest his nomination as chair of the House of Commons committee on aboriginal affairs and northern development.

Carrying signs with slogans such as "Vellacott denies the facts," "Treaties came before Canada" and "Stop racism from Saskatoon to Caledonia," participants also rallied in support of the members of the Six Nations First Nation involved in a standoff over disputed land in Caledonia, Ont.

"We just thought we would put the two together because if he got the chair, what would he do at Six Nations?" said Darlene Okemaysim, one of the march organizers. "What would he do in Saskatoon to improve police- Native-white relations?"

Those involved in Friday's rally were concerned that Vellacott may not be the best choice for chair of the committee. His support of two police officers who were fired for dropping off an aboriginal man on the outskirts of Saskatoon in -25 degree weather, and his recent allegation that Native people had a drinking shack outside of the city, were criticized by protesters such as Colleen Thomas.

"We don't feel that he's ready to be the champion of our cause at this point. We don't want him there until he's willing to enter into a relationship with us where he's learning and we're the teachers," said Thomas, who is from the Witchekan Lake First Nation.

"I'd be willing to meet Vellacott halfway, if he would be willing to do that, and that's why I'm walking to his office today," Thomas said, her voice cracking with emotion and tears forming in her eyes.

Vellacott's knowledge of aboriginal issues has also been questioned.

Gary Merasty, a Liberal MP from northern Saskatchewan who is also on the aboriginal affairs committee, said that in all of his years in aboriginal politics, he had never known Vellacott to advocate aboriginal issues.

"With respect to his depth of knowledge, I'm not sure that he has the necessary experience. Some of his views may affect his ability to perform as a fair chairman," said Merasty.

The election of the committee chair takes place Monday afternoon. Any of the 12 members can put their names forward to be elected chair. Merasty's name isn't on the list, but Vellacott was nominated by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Vellacott couldn't be in Saskatoon to meet with the people protesting his nomination, but he sent a letter defending himself.

In the letter, Vellacott said he is committed to aboriginal issues and that the march was a result of misrepresentations of his position on aboriginal affairs by "the media and a number of my political adversaries."

He wrote that his assistance of the two former police officers involved in the Darrell Night case would have been the same had those officers been aboriginal.

"I would have attempted to help them too," he wrote.

In an interview from his Ottawa office, Vellacott said a conflict in schedules prevented him from being in Saskatoon Friday but he would be open to meeting with the people one-on-one.

"I think that probably does a whole lot more to engender a little understanding than hollering into a megaphone," he said.

samacdonald@sp.canwest.com