Language Police Ride To The Rescue

[Via Nealenews]

Mike Del Grande of Scarborough has commited the most terrible of mistakes:

Some Toronto councillors and a race relations expert say published comments by Scarborough Councillor Mike Del Grande that "white people" are moving out of his ward are divisive and unacceptable.

Del Grande (Ward 39, Scarborough-Agincourt) says he was only reflecting on the "reality" of demographic changes in his ward when he told the Scarborough Mirror last week that "a lot of the white people are moving out" of the area.

But he's upset after seeing how his remarks were portrayed in the media.

"I'm physically sick because it (the story) is painting something that I'm not. I feel really betrayed. I'm exasperated. I'm on the verge of tears I'm so upset," said Del Grande in an interview.

But colleagues aren't offering the first-term councillor any sympathy.

Councillor Janet Davis (Ward 31, Beaches-East York) said Del Grande's statement smacks of racism and is "not acceptable by any elected official."

"We should be celebrating the diversity of our city, the richness, talent and vitality," Davis said.

Tam Goossen, past president of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, called the remarks "really concerning" and "totally divisive," referring also to comments where Del Grande said Chinese from Hong Kong and those from the mainland are clashing with each other in his ward.

Heaven forbid!

So stating a fact that 'white people are moving out' is now a reason to censure someone? How sensitive have Canadians become?

Did any of these, for lack of a better word; idiots, consider that there may be a reason that 'white people' are leaving the community? Is housing to expensive? Are the schools having problems? Are there actual racial issues causing them to leave?

But I guess in modern Canada it is best to ignore these problems that to deal with reality. The lesson to any other community leaders out there is: If your community has a problem of some sorts it is best to leave it unresolved than to suffer at the hands of the language police.

Del Grande also got in trouble for stating that Chinese from Hong Kong and mainland China are clashing with each other. According to the 'race relations expert', Tam Goossen, these remarks are 'really concerning' and 'totally divisive'. Really now? How so? I spent a couple of months in Hong Kong a few years ago and it was quite clear that those from Hong Kong looked down upon the mainland Chinese. But once again we better not talk about such things.

And before I go what the heck is a 'race relations expert'? How does one become one? Does the job pay well? Are there any qualifications? If you know a lot about the Tutsi and Hutu communities in Rawanda does that make you a 'race relations expert'?

crossposted at The Shotgun