The City of Edmonton removed a Facebook post promoting its civic youth fellowship final showcase after the post attracted a wave of racist comments. The post was deleted, and city officials have condemned the remarks.
Youth Fellowship Targeted by Hateful Rhetoric
Nour Salhi, who works in Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz’s office as part of the fellowship, said she was not surprised by the hateful comments. “The unfortunate reality for a lot of us is it’s something we’ve encountered before,” she said. “It was very much something that we saw coming when you see the pattern in the rhetoric that is… coming up to the (Oct. 19) referendum questions that are front and centre in our face.”
Salhi added, “A lot of us, when we saw those questions pop up, it was this kind of behaviour we expected to see more and more of. It emboldens this kind of ideology.”
Government and Police Response
A spokesperson for the premier’s office called the comments “unacceptable.” Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration press secretary Hunter Baril stated, “Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected, regardless of their background, faith, or identity. From the beginning, we have been clear that we welcome immigration. Alberta’s government supports balanced and sustainable immigration levels, with a strong focus on economic immigration to address skilled labour shortages. However, we do not support the ‘open-border’ immigration policies of the last decade, which have strained Alberta’s health care, education, and other social services.”
Edmonton police have been made aware of the comments, and the city has extended mental health supports to any affected interns.
Mayor Knack Condemns Comments
Calling the comments “abhorrent,” Mayor Andrew Knack did not mince words. “Those folks who said those vile things, this is not the city for them,” he said. “They can go find any other place, because that type of opinion is not welcome in our city. That very, very small percentage of just terrible people need to find something better to do with their lives.”
Knack emphasized the need for the city’s anti-racism efforts. “Diversity is our strength in our city,” he said. “It has been inspiring to see the leadership of those youth who work day in and day out to make our city a better place, so we’re going to continue to promote that work.”
Showcase to Celebrate Youth Achievements
A showcase to celebrate the achievements of 20 youth who completed placements across the city’s workforce is planned for July. The program has operated for four years. Salhi said the response from city staff and co-workers is encouraging. “It’s really refreshing to see it taken seriously,” she said.
