'Disappointing, disheartening': O-day'min candidates condemn racism directed at fellow candidate
A group of candidates in the O-day'min ward are putting competition aside to support a colleague and condemn the racism he's experiencing.
Adrian Bruff says he's been experiencing hatred and racism on the campaign trail for the past year.
"I'm constantly receiving harassing, vitriolic messages online, to being called the n-word while door knocking," said Bruff.
When he spoke about it at a recent forum, some of his fellow candidates came together in a show of support.
"To hear that he's going through that, it's really painful to watch," said O-day'min candidate Gino Akbari. "Right now, I think more than ever, we need each other, we need each other as a country, as a city, as neighbours."
Akbari, Joshua Wolchansky, Anne Stevenson and Gabrielle Battiste all signed a statement condemning the barriers some face when running for public office – whether they be women, BIPOC or LGBTQ2S+.
Those barriers often include threats of violence, Bruff said, like a recent phone call he received.
"He reminded me to 'watch it' and hope I didn't have to call 911 any time soon."
Bruff says the harassment and threats are concerning for him and his family, and take a lot of his time and energy away from his campaign.
"It's disappointing, disheartening… because I like being in my community, I like being accessible," said Bruff. "The last thing I want to do is have to worry about my safety or the safety of my colleagues when we show up at a community event. That's the last thing I want to worry about."
"This issue goes beyond politics," said Stevenson. "It's about what's best for our community, and our community is served well when we have a diversity of voices represented on council."
By talking about discrimination openly, the group is hoping to highlight that racism continues to be a real problem in politics and beyond.
"It's a systemic issue that requires a systemic fix, and it takes the focus of all of us dedicated to making our community a better place to be able to come up with that," said Battiste.
"We will work together no matter where we are for the best interests of Edmontonians as a whole and to make this an inclusive, accessible and safe city."
"How can we make sure that from a framework perspective we're encouraging more BIPOC to run, that we're encouraging more women to run, that we're actually creating better access to power," said Wolchansky. "Council sets the tone, and if you have a passion for your community you should feel like you have the opportunity to run free from hatred, free from discrimination."
In a statement to CTV News, O-day’min candidate Tony Caterina said: “No one should have to be subjected to this type of behavior. Not acceptable under any circumstances. This is the dark side of social media. As a 5-year-old newcomer to this country and to this city I can understand how hurtful this can be.”
Bruff is thankful for the support from his competitors.
"The outpouring of support I've been receiving from my fellow candidates and Edmontonians is humbling," said Bruff. "I thank you guys so much for having my back and being an ally on this journey."
Now that the competitors have each other's backs, they're eager to move forward and fight for votes.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.