A float parade depicting a Sikh man riding a manure spreader called “The Liberal” is causing outrage on social media.
The controversial float took part in Saturday’s Sundre Pro Rodeo parade. Mike Crampton, a Didsbury resident, was at the parade with his family when he took the photos of the float.
“My wife pointed it out to me and I was a little surprised and quickly took a couple of photos just because I wasn’t entirely sure what I was seeing,” Crampton said.
Crampton described what he saw as a low point.
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“It’s so frustrating that people think this is okay to do, you know,” he said. “It’s like this normalized casual racism that they just unfolded and think it’s a good thing to put it in front of a community event.”
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Since then, the images have gone viral and are causing outrage on Twitter and Facebook among local leaders.
Anila Lee Yuen, general manager of the Center of Newcomers, tweeted that the float was “outrageous … that’s why, as people of color, Albertans must continue to defend our decisions to live in the province.”
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Calgary Forest Lawn Conservative MP Jasrai Hallan condemned the float on Twitter, calling it “absolutely disgusting,” adding that “these acts do not take place in Canada.”
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Calgary Skyview Liberal MP George Chahal called shame on those responsible. Chahal, who is Sikh, says the float is a flagrant attack on his people and community.
“As Canadians and Albertans, we should be concerned about what we saw yesterday at the show that people think it’s okay to address my community and racialized communities.”
The Sikh community in Canada, of which I am a proud member, has a wide variety of political perspectives.
More importantly, the Sikhs have been a strong force for good in Alberta and across the country.
Shame on those responsible for this despicable display of racism. https://t.co/WMYa46IIN0
– George Chahal (@ChahalGeorge) June 26, 2022
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In a Facebook post, the Sundre Pro Rodeo, which does not oversee the floats for the parade, issued a statement apologizing noting that “If we knew about the float, we would never have approved it.”
“We send our deepest apologies and something like this will never happen again,” the statement says.
According to a statement released on behalf of the parade committee overseeing the event, the Sundre Pro Rodeo Parade should be a community celebration, showing a “positive family experience.”
The statement says it was investigated and found that the float “was incorporated into the parade without passing any records. Let it be clear, it was not approved.”
Chahal said he plans to visit Sundre in the coming days.
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