Conservative campaign worker asks for 'ethnic costumes' at Harper photo-op
OTTAWA - An Arab community leader is incensed over an email from a Conservative campaign worker seeking people in "ethnic costume" to serve as props at an event with Stephen Harper.
The campaign team for Ted Opitz, the Tory candidate in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke Centre, put out a call Tuesday night to the Canadian Arab Federation.
"The opportunity is to have up to 20 people in national folklore costumes which represent their ethnic backgrounds," the email said.
"These people will sit in front row behind the PM - great TV photo op."
It's not known if other cultural groups received the request. But the Arab federation's president, Khaled Mouammar, said he was so insulted he didn't respond to the email.
"I find it really regrettable that the Conservative party thinks that they can entertain themselves by parading, you know, people from ethnic communities in their traditional costumes to serve their interests only," Mouammar said.
Opitz released a statement distancing himself from the email and his spokesman said later the worker responsible, Zeljko (Zed) Zidaric, is no longer with the campaign.
"The email was sent by a campaign staffer without my knowledge," Opitz said. "I do not support its characterization or intent."
Conservative party spokesman Ryan Sparrow said Zidaric was a volunteer, not a paid staffer.
"He made a mistake and it is clearly inappropriate," Sparrow said.
Zidaric's email said Harper will be in the riding for a "big rally" on Thursday night and that they are looking for people from the Arab community to attend in ethnic garb.
"We, at the Etobicoke Centre riding, are trying to create a photo-op about all the multicultural groups that support Ted Opitz our local Conservative candidate and the Prime Minister," the email said.
"Do you have any cultural groups that would like to participate by having someone at the event in an ethnic costume?"
Mouammar said the kind of costume he believes the Tories were seeking is clothing that Arab people in Canada tend to wear on holidays, not on a day-to-day basis.
There was no response from Opitz's campaign as to whether any disciplinary action had been taken against Zidaric.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff picked up Thursday where he left off during the debates, lambasting Harper over the controversial email.
"This isn't Disneyland ... Ethnic groups do not want to be treated in this way," Ignatieff said.
"They want to be treated as Canadians first, last and always."
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"The email was sent by a campaign staffer without my knowledge," Opitz said. "I do not support its characterization or intent."
^ So riddle me this..... where the hell did he come up with the idea? He knew the Photo Op was coming up, where and when..... and I'm sure someone asked him to do it. It wouldn't be the first time Harper used certain types of people for props in his photo-ops.
OTTAWA - An Arab community leader is incensed over an email from a Conservative campaign worker seeking people in "ethnic costume" to serve as props at an event with Stephen Harper.
The campaign team for Ted Opitz, the Tory candidate in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke Centre, put out a call Tuesday night to the Canadian Arab Federation.
"The opportunity is to have up to 20 people in national folklore costumes which represent their ethnic backgrounds," the email said.
"These people will sit in front row behind the PM - great TV photo op."
It's not known if other cultural groups received the request. But the Arab federation's president, Khaled Mouammar, said he was so insulted he didn't respond to the email.
"I find it really regrettable that the Conservative party thinks that they can entertain themselves by parading, you know, people from ethnic communities in their traditional costumes to serve their interests only," Mouammar said.
Opitz released a statement distancing himself from the email and his spokesman said later the worker responsible, Zeljko (Zed) Zidaric, is no longer with the campaign.
"The email was sent by a campaign staffer without my knowledge," Opitz said. "I do not support its characterization or intent."
Conservative party spokesman Ryan Sparrow said Zidaric was a volunteer, not a paid staffer.
"He made a mistake and it is clearly inappropriate," Sparrow said.
Zidaric's email said Harper will be in the riding for a "big rally" on Thursday night and that they are looking for people from the Arab community to attend in ethnic garb.
"We, at the Etobicoke Centre riding, are trying to create a photo-op about all the multicultural groups that support Ted Opitz our local Conservative candidate and the Prime Minister," the email said.
"Do you have any cultural groups that would like to participate by having someone at the event in an ethnic costume?"
Mouammar said the kind of costume he believes the Tories were seeking is clothing that Arab people in Canada tend to wear on holidays, not on a day-to-day basis.
There was no response from Opitz's campaign as to whether any disciplinary action had been taken against Zidaric.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff picked up Thursday where he left off during the debates, lambasting Harper over the controversial email.
"This isn't Disneyland ... Ethnic groups do not want to be treated in this way," Ignatieff said.
"They want to be treated as Canadians first, last and always."
(continued on above link)
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"The email was sent by a campaign staffer without my knowledge," Opitz said. "I do not support its characterization or intent."
^ So riddle me this..... where the hell did he come up with the idea? He knew the Photo Op was coming up, where and when..... and I'm sure someone asked him to do it. It wouldn't be the first time Harper used certain types of people for props in his photo-ops.
