City councillor blames 'non-whites' for violence[警告]

[King Kong]

最初由 terry 发布


.....

Tell me her Email address and tel number.

Here you go:
http://www.janharder.com/contact.html

应该有更多的华人同胞来关注这件事情的发展!

建议版主将其置顶

 

[lifeisfun]

最初由 abby 发布


How do you know? You think Hell's Angel are all Asian or African?

Well, here I mean that particular gang which is making trouble in Barheaven.

In this case, Harder's comments are highly improper. She was blaming the violence in Barhaven to "Non white kids" , well accurately speaking, non-white kids outside barhaven. What she said was not helping the situation. In stead, she was deviding the communities into "white" vs "Non-white".As a consellor, she is not doing her job right. I hope she resigns.

Well, here we see too many such examples that grabbing the word from the context of the speech from a politician. I won't believe anything unless I see her original speech. It's so easy for one just to jump on some conclusion without using your own judgement.

 

[oread]

Please don't insult our intelligence. I've been following this incidence since the beginning and only posted my opinion yesterday because I wanted to see how Harder reacted to the controversy. So far I've been quite disappointed.

I believe all politicians carefully weigh their comments according to how much support (in other words votes) they could get from their constituents, a few odd balls, but let's not get into that. The fact that Harder made the comment signifies that she believed that this "non-whites" comment would further strenghten her image as an outspoken, righteous candidate in the coming election, and perhaps win her more support. A former Canadian Alliance candidate in Manitoba Betty Granger was forced to resign after making a racial comment regarding Chinese refugees and immigrants (the "Asian invasion" was the word she used). WHY? Because the Canadian Alliance's major support resides on the west coast where a lot of Chinese live, therefore their voice cannot be easily ignored. The party couldn't afford to lose the votes from the Chinese, even the possibility of losing the votes could not be tolerated.

Jan Harder is NOT a victim of political correctness. However let's not speculate whether she is racist or not, but sincerely hope that she simply just made a mistake (her choice of words that is). I still hope that she'd apoligize publicly for her comment and learn her lesson today.

 

[胡说之]

In Canada, we don't vote people in, we vote them out.
--From a wise guy who's a colleague of mine

目前,加拿大没有伟大的政治家,只有形形色色的政客.很有必要严格要求一下.Jan Harder这种人,下次选举要请她出局.每家一年好几千块的地产税交上去,找个说话伶俐一点的人作counsillor,不算过分的要求吧.

不错,很多人口语中有"老外","白人",作为普通民众,你在自己家跟朋友说说笑笑,谁都没功夫跟你较真.假如你要出来竞选公职,在公开场合说句"鬼佬"试试,"鬼佬"们绝对不会放你一马.

 

[larry]

不管她是否道歉，下次选举坚决反对她。

2003候选名单

 

[larry]

Ottawa Elections 2003 Voter FAQs

http://ottawa.ca/inside_govt/elections/voterfaq_en.shtml#v1

Q - When are the 2003 municipal elections?
A - The 2003 municipal elections are being held on Monday, November 10, 2003. You can cast your ballot between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on voting day.

Q - Who can vote in municipal elections?
A - You can vote in municipal elections (or be an eligible elector) if, on voting day, you are:

a resident of the City of Ottawa, or an owner or tenant of land in the City of Ottawa, or the spouse or same-sex partner of such an owner or tenant;
a Canadian citizen;
at least 18 years old; and
not prohibited from voting by law.
To vote in elections for a school board trustee, you must be:
a supporter of the school board for which the election is being held and either reside in the area of jurisdiction of the board, be an owner or tenant of residential property in the board's area of jurisdiction, or be the spouse or same-sex partner of an owner or tenant. If you are not sure which board you support, this information can be found on the voters' list.
Q - Will there be advance voting?
A - If you are going to be out-of-town or it's more convenient to vote on another day, you will be able to do so on advance voting days. The advance voting days have not yet been set. City Council will pass a bylaw establishing the date and hours of operation for one or more advance voting days. This must be done at least 30 days prior to voting day.

Q - What offices will the City's electors be voting for?
A - Eligible electors will be able to vote for the offices of Mayor, City Councillor and school board trustee.

The Mayor is elected at large by all electors.
Councillors are elected by the eligible voters of each ward - one councillor for each of Ottawa's 21 wards.
School board trustees are elected by zones, which comprise one or more City wards. The board you are entitled to vote for is determined by your school support status, as shown on the voters' list. The school boards that have jurisdiction in the City of Ottawa are the:
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board - one trustee each, for zones 1 to 12
Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board - one trustee each, for zones 1 to 10
Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario - one trustee each, for zones 6 to 12
Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est - one trustee each, for zones 4 to 11


Q - Why should I vote?
A - Your vote makes a difference. By voting for a Mayor and Councillor, you are helping to set the future direction of the City of Ottawa. The City provides the day-to-day services you count on - from fire and police services, to clean water and parks, to transit and public libraries. City Council decides how your property tax dollars are spent and establishes the level and range of municipal services available in your community. That's why Your vote makes a difference! Voting for your school board trustee is also important. Trustees decide how best to meet the needs of Ottawa's students by administering the building and maintenance of schools, hiring the teachers and staff needed to run them, and authorizing spending on educational programs and initiatives. That's why Your vote makes a difference!

Q - Am I registered to vote?
A - The City of Ottawa's voters' list is compiled from information that we receive from Ontario's Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). During the month of May 2003, some Ottawa residents may receive an enumeration form in the mail from MPAC as part of their province-wide "targeted" enumeration. MPAC then uses this information to compile the preliminary voters' list, which will be used by the City for the upcoming municipal elections.

The voters' list will include your name, address, occupancy status (owner, tenant, boarder) and school-support designation. It will be available for you to review at the City of Ottawa's Elections Office (760 Belfast Road), Ottawa City Hall (110 Laurier Avenue West), Client Service Centres and public library branches from Tuesday, September 2 to Monday, November 10, 2003. You should check the voters' list to ensure that your name, address and school-support designation are listed correctly.

Q - I am not on the voters' list, how do I get my name put on it? How do I amend my personal information on the voters' list?
A - Starting on Tuesday, September 2, 2003, you will have an opportunity to amend or change your personal information on the voters' list. To do so, you can contact either the Elections Office at 580-2660 or the Call Centre at 580-2400. Provide us with your name and address, and we will send you an Application to Amend the Voters' List form. You can also pick up a copy of this form at the Elections Office, Ottawa City Hall, Client Service Centres and public library branches, or download a copy from the City's Web site at ottawa.ca. Just fill in the form and send it back to us. We will add your name to the voters' list or amend your information. Application to Amend the Voters' List forms will also be available at your voting place. However, we encourage you to get these changes to us before the end of September, so we can make sure your name gets on the final, printed version of the voters' list and so you'll be able to avoid any unnecessary delays on voting day.

Q - Where do I vote?
A - In October, a voter notification letter will be sent to all households present on the voters' list informing persons when and where they may vote. Voting places may have changed since the last election, so please check this notice carefully. If you haven't received this notice by mid-October 2003, please contact the Elections Office or the Call Centre and we will provide you with your voting place.

Q - Where can I get City ward maps?
A - Electronic ward maps are posted on the City's Web site. Large City maps can also be purchased at any Client Service Centre for $10 each.

Q - Who are the candidates?
A - You can view the most current list of candidates for the offices of Mayor, Councillor and school board trustee on the City's Web site. You can also contact the Elections Office at 580-2660 and we will provide you with a list of the nominated candidates.

Q - How can I get in touch with a candidate, or find out about their election platform?
A - The list of candidates with their contact numbers is available for viewing at the Elections Office. To find out about a candidate's platform, you must contact the candidate or his or her campaign headquarters directly. In many cases, the candidates' headquarters and contact numbers can be found on the Internet or through Bell Canada information.

 

[abby]

最初由 lifeisfun 发布


Well, here we see too many such examples that grabbing the word from the context of the speech from a politician. I won't believe anything unless I see her original speech. It's so easy for one just to jump on some conclusion without using your own judgement.

It is not hard to find her original speech. Just surf a little bit, you will find it. It was on almost all kinds of medias.

I don't need someone to tell me that I should feel insulted by Jan Harder's words. I AM insulted by her words even though I know in this case she was targetting at Somalian kids from south key. No matter what, such kind of racist words should not be from a city counsoller.

 

[abby]

最初由 larry 发布
不管她是否道歉，下次选举坚决反对她。

2003候选名单

True. I will not vote for her for sure. She probably just lost most of the support from my community for something else she just did.

BTW, thanks for posting the information of the municipal elections. That is what I was looking for.

 

[larry]

Harder told to retract comments
Councillor's 'non-whites' remark caused 'a lot of pain': committee

Erin Conway-Smith and Jason Fekete
The Ottawa Citizen


Thursday, June 26, 2003

CREDIT: Kier Gilmour, The Ottawa Citizen



A city committee last night called for Councillor Jan Harder to retract comments she made last week about "non-whites" causing youth violence in Barrhaven, saying they "caused a lot of pain and anguish."

Four police officers, two city councillors and more than 50 rowdy citizens were on hand to debate what action should be taken in light of the Bell-South Nepean councillor's comments, which appeared in a community newspaper. Ms. Harder wasn't in attendance.

A motion passed by the equity and diversity advisory committee called Ms. Harder's comments "unhelpful and inappropriate" and asked for a retraction. Committee member Jack Silverstone, who put forward the motion, said race shouldn't be a factor when discussing the issue of youth violence.

"The comments were ill-advised and inappropriate and it would be entirely appropriate for her to withdraw them and move ahead," he said.

"By all accounts, she is a hard-working and sincere person and I think that she misspoke in terms of her choice of language that caused a lot of pain and a lot of anguish to many people who are totally innocent."

Co-chairwoman Sonia Brereton said she didn't think Ms. Harder should be asked to resign over the comments, but that in the future the councillor should be "a bit more responsible about speaking out."

An overflow and mostly pro-Harder crowd cheered her supporters and jeered those who criticized the councillor's comments, including Mark Zarecki, who told the committee that he was "saddened" by the tone of the discussion last night.

"The rhetoric in this room is reminiscent of the Nazis in the 1930s," he said. "It's a very scary feeling to feel that way in Ottawa in 2003," he said.

Boisterous members of the crowd had to be warned they'd be ejected from the meeting if they continued to interrupt.

Nepean resident Rubin Friedman said Ms. Harder made a "very broad generalization" with her comments. "When she phrases it that way, I think she makes a big mistake," he said.

Goulbourn Councillor Janet Stavinga, speaking as a "wife, a mother, a woman, a person," said that Ms. Harder is a hard-working councillor who goes "above and beyond."

Ms. Stavinga said she regrets the focus has been to "bring that person down."

Cumberland Councillor Phil McNeely, a non-voting member on the committee, also spoke in support of Ms. Harder, calling her "one of the hardest-working councillors we have."

Anne Wright, who seconded Mr. Silverstone's motion, said Ms. Harder's comments have contributed to division and fear. The impact of the comments was made clear by the "loud voices in the room tonight," she said.

Séverin Ndema-Moussa, a committee member, said Ms. Harder "needs to know that she can't make statements like that," and "needs to apologize."

Mr. Ndema-Moussa added that while he has nothing against Ms. Harder, and does not want to condemn her, "it is not right what she said."

Ms. Harder released a statement last night explaining why she didn't attend the meeting:

"I became aware late on Monday evening that the equity and diversity advisory committee would be holding an emergency meeting.

"However, at that time I was not apprised of the reason. Early on Tuesday morning, I was informed by my staff and through various media reports that the meeting was specifically called to discuss comments attributed to me in the press.

"Late on Tuesday and early (Wednesday) morning, I heard through media reports that the equity and diversity committee would be voting on some sort of reprimand. I am not attending the meeting for the following reasons:

"I was never contacted by the chair or the committee co-ordinator to provide clarification on my comments. I was not invited to provide comment on the topic. I was not provided with an agenda for the meeting. Council and committee services or secretariat services did not brief me. I am still not clear what the meeting is about."

However, a copy of an e-mail sent to Ms. Harder and inviting her to the meeting reveals the meeting would deal with her comments.

Ms. Harder's statement also said Ottawa police told her yesterday no charges will be laid as a result of a complaint made against her by the Visible Minority Action Committee.

 

[oread]

"A motion passed by the equity and diversity advisory committee called Ms. Harder's comments "unhelpful and inappropriate" and asked for a retraction. Committee member Jack Silverstone, who put forward the motion, said race shouldn't be a factor when discussing the issue of youth violence."

Hit the bull's eye! Applaud the decision!

 

[abby]

Critics can't sway Harder

By JOHN STEINBACHS, Ottawa Sun

JAN Harder won't back down.

She says she's sorry if she hurt anyone's feelings, but she won't retract a recent comment criticized by some as racist.

A heavily policed public meeting of the city's equity and diversity advisory committee last night called on the beleaguered city councillor to withdraw the remark about "non-whites" causing trouble in Barrhaven.

Harder did not attend the meeting because she said she was not notified or invited. However, reached minutes after the committee's decision, she said she would "absolutely not" withdraw her comments.

"If I have honestly hurt anyone, for that I am sorry, because I am not a hurtful person," said Harder, who also took exception with a non-elected committee criticizing an elected councillor.

Harder has been the target of severe and sustained criticism since being quoted by Nepean This Week on a recent Barrhaven stabbing. "The problem arises when a large group of -- I'm going to say it -- non-whites comes into our community looking to cause trouble," she said.

What started as a discussion over Harder's comments at the committee morphed into a group therapy session on race and youth crime in Ottawa.

"I think an error was made," said committee member Jack Silverstone of Harder's comments.

Silverstone's motion also called for the community to keep focused on a co-operative approach to safety and security.

'NOT UNDER ATTACK'

"She is not under attack. Certainly her language is under attack," said Des Doran, one of the public speakers at the meeting.

Doran was among many who said Harder was out of line.

"It does not promote racial harmony and it is based on misunderstanding," he said.

The meeting began on an ugly note with some spectators heckling committee members. As many as seven police officers were on hand, along with city hall security.

Harder had several supporters at the meeting, including Coun. Janet Stavinga, who said she was disappointed that the issue of violence and crime was being overshadowed by debate over Harder's comments.

No speakers attacked Harder, but many said her comments were inappropriate and needed to be withdrawn.

"She made a very broad generalization," said Rubin Friedman. "I believe that was wrong. It is not about freedom of speech, it's a matter of Jan Harder saying something that really wasn't factually true."

Harder said yesterday that Ottawa police have assured her no charges will be laid against her.

 

[oread]

I think it's unwise for her to play hard ball. But maybe the reason she is playing it hard is because she believes that she has that much support. :blink:

 

[terry]

最初由 渐渐 发布
I think it's unwise for her to play hard ball. But maybe the reason she is playing it hard is because she believes that she has that much support. :blink:

She did get strong support from white "community", on the radio of last Sunday, 400 people in Barheaven signed to support her. From the radio where people can dial in, I heard over 80% (I believe most of dial ins are whites) support her.

So it is very helpful for minority to write / call to complain to discourage her assumpsion/dilusion that she got "strong" support.

 

[oread]

You must have listened to CFRA580. If you listen to CBC, your impression might be different.