Skip to content

The Monitor Progressive news, views and ideas

Wanted: "Ethnic Costumes" and the Immigrant Vote

April 13, 2011

1-minute read

Tomorrow evening at 6:30 Stephen Harper is holding an event at 655 Dixon Road in Toronto. The event planners are looking for "representation from the Arab community" in "ethnic costume" to sit in the front row - "great photo op".

The invitation was passed along to members of the Colour of Poverty community network this morning. Ironically it was received by an Arab organization that was defunded by the Harper Conservatives. Now they’d like them to dress up for the leader.

(The Colour of Poverty network is behind the video released yesterday, and decry how immigrants have been turned into "ethnics" and "very ethnics". They rightly view themselves as Canadians, more than a vote or a photo-op, and with pressing concerns that need substantive response.)

Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:26:47 -0400 Subject: Opportunity - Thursday night with the Prime Minister From: zzidaric@gmail.com To:

Hello,

On Thursday night, the Prime Minister will be in Etobicoke for a big rally.

Here is the link for the event http://www.conservativeevent.ca/toronto

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 opportunity is to have up to 20 people in national folklore costumes which represent their ethnic backgrounds. These people will sit in front row behind the PM - great TV photo op.

We are seeking representation from the Arab community. Do you have any cultural groups that would like to participate by having someone at the event in an ethnic costume? We are seeking one or two people from your community. Please let me know by Wednesday afternoon - 5:00 pm at the latest.

I apologize for the short notice.

Thanks again for your help!

Zeljko 'Zed' Zidaric Ted Opitz Campaign Team 416.577.4000

Topics addressed in this article

Related Articles

Canada’s fight against inflation: Bank of Canada could induce a recession

History tells us that the Bank of Canada has a 0% success rate in fighting inflation by quickly raising interest rates. If a pilot told me that they’d only ever attempted a particular landing three times in the past 60 years with a 0% success rate, that’s not a plane I’d want to be on. Unfortunately, that looks likes the plane all Canadians are on now.

Non-viable businesses need an"off-ramp"

Throughout the pandemic, many small- and medium-sized businesses have weathered the storm, thanks to federal government help. In his deputation to Canada's federal Industry Committee, David Macdonald says it's time to give those businesses an "off-ramp".

Truth bomb: Corporate sector winning the economic recovery lottery; workers falling behind

This isn’t a workers’ wage-led recovery; in fact, inflation is eating into workers’ wages, diminishing their ability to recover from the pandemic recession. Corporate profits are capturing more economic growth than in any previous recession recovery period over the past 50 years.