Canadian Politics Today

After criticism, Premier Jason Kenney condemns racist elements at Edmonton torch rally

After two days of silence and criticism from other political leaders, Premier Jason Kenney on Monday condemned the racist elements and symbolism of a weekend torch rally at the Alberta legislature.

In a written statement sent at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Kenney acknowledged the source of the torch imagery used in posters promoting the event, and the affiliations of some people involved.

"I understand that publicity for this event incorporated an image apparently taken from the notorious 2017 Charlottesville torch rally, which was an explicitly white supremacist event," Kenney said in a statement issued through his press secretary.

"Prominent racists promoted Saturday's protest at the legislature, and individuals attended the event from known hate groups like the 'Soldiers of Odin' and 'Urban Infidels.' I condemn these voices of bigotry in the strongest possible terms."

In August he went on a rant on twitter right after some activists in Montreal toppled a statue of JAM but it took him two days to issue a statement on this.