00:11:29.140Um, and then it was then, um, that she alleges that, um, I was being racist against her.
00:11:35.780Islamophobic, actually, because she is a woman of color wearing a hijab.
00:11:40.480And my response immediately was, this is absolutely insane.
00:11:44.520Um, because little do you know, and this is the thing, you just don't know, right?
00:11:49.020Um, the spoiler is that I'm actually a dual citizen of Iran.
00:11:52.920I am both Canadian and Iranian through my marriage to my husband, who was born in Iran.
00:11:57.380Um, and I myself have been a woman who has worn a hijab, um, in Iran.
00:12:05.780Which, I mean, especially in the current political climate of, in context of what's happening in Iran, um, takes on a whole other meaning.
00:12:13.140But I would never actively, or even passively, I would never participate in, um, the discrimination against, um, someone that would actually end up, I would be discriminating, perpetuating the discrimination against my own husband and family.
00:12:31.240Yeah, you, um, you and your husband have two children.
00:12:45.280Um, and so she started recording herself.
00:12:48.320Um, and the recording was very aggressive.
00:12:50.620And I will tell, uh, I will tell the Western Standard listeners, you know, I, I went and I watched the video that's really gone wild online that this woman posted.
00:12:59.560Uh, and it was very aggressive saying that you said a very profane word, which, you know, Sarah, I don't even know if I've heard you swear in all my conversations with you, which I thought.
00:13:09.200I mean, I do like a good, I do like a good F word, to be honest.
00:13:32.940But it's, it's completely counter to everything you've done through Madam Premier.
00:13:36.300Yeah, I mean, I, as someone who actively, um, you know, advocates for the participation of all women from a multi-partisan standpoint.
00:13:44.820And, um, you know, what's actually been really inconvenient throughout, you know, my time of having the store and always has been actually that, um, it's been people more on the center, center left who have always wanted me to advocate specifically for what you would call progressive women in politics.
00:14:01.820And my response has always been, I'm multi-partisan.
00:14:04.600And I believe that every woman, no matter if I agree with them or not, has a place to be in politics.
00:14:09.720That's for people to decide at the ballot box.
00:14:12.680Um, it is not about left or right or center, you know, polka dot or whatever it is.
00:14:23.080I just want more women to step forward and put themselves into the political realm.
00:14:27.420Um, this is honestly a very cautionary tale, I think, in a lot of different ways.
00:14:32.480First of all, that an allegation can, you can have, you know, the most innocuous interaction with someone.
00:14:38.580And let's just say, like, there were, like, you know, you're disappointed, this whole, the, you know, exacerbated by the fact that you're actually actively Googling me, right?
00:14:51.060And weaponizing my identity in different ways, both being political, um, and having a store, right?
00:14:57.400Um, it's just so this could happen to anyone.
00:15:01.840And I think that where we've gotten to in a, as a society is that, um, it's actually, you know, the rife of, you know, cancel culture.
00:15:11.520Um, it's actually easier for this to be perpetuated by people who, who see this as like a transactional, right?
00:15:19.440Whatever it is, social media clout, um, whatever narrative it is that they want to put out there.
00:15:28.780On the other side, very understandably, people don't want to weigh in and say, like, this is unacceptable because they themselves become a target.
00:15:37.040Um, so, like, I've cautioned friends, for example, or I, you know, uh, honestly, I just wanted this to go away.
00:15:43.540Like, the police have been involved in this.
00:15:45.360Like, I honestly felt like my personal safety was at risk, um, because of the intensity of the situation and the way it escalated.
00:16:11.720They, so, the, the piling on the, the, the, like, the community that was created in the attacks and attempted takedown and allegations of racism and Islamophobia against me became, you know, just absolutely insane.
00:16:29.520Everything from comments on my physical appearance, um, to, um, you know, weaponizing, like, my positions, um, uh, on the attack, uh, the massacre that happened against, um, uh, Jewish Australians, um, labeling me a Zionist.
00:17:04.180I think those two things can actually exist.
00:17:06.420Well, as someone who really tries to, you know, challenge people, um, to be able to hold multiple truths, whether, you know, and very complicated ones, um, it's, it, this is really frustrating and disappointing.
00:17:19.460And it's been very difficult personally, um, both on me, my friends, and my family, um, but also in thinking about, um, you know, there, there have been people in the comments of, um, this individual.
00:17:30.980And I just wanted to say, I was going to start by saying, I don't want anyone to go and find this individual online and target them in any way.
00:17:37.960I do not want, um, what has happened to me to happen to anyone else, including her.
00:17:44.800Even though I've been incredibly challenged and hurt by the situation, I, that is not, I don't want anyone to do that.
00:17:52.460I wish this upon no one, including her.
00:18:00.980Um, you know, it's just, where are we as a society, as a culture, when it's easier because the, the, the advice, you know, that many have told me is like, just wait for this to blow over.
00:18:12.340So we're going to accept cancel culture.
00:18:15.020We're going to accept that you can just label someone racist or Islamophobic.
00:18:18.720Um, like I do plan on continuing, uh, hopefully my political career.
00:18:23.740Um, how can I let this stand, Lindsay?
00:18:48.460And I mean, I had, I mean, consider this a coming out party politically.
00:18:52.000Um, because I had really hoped for the store to like wind down before, you know, I was going to, um, you know, take a different track in terms of, um, speaking out on different issues where I was going to be asking people to, you know, to really hold themselves open to the possibility of holding more uncomfortable, um, truths, you know, those dueling two or multiple truths.
00:19:14.860Um, this is forced my hand in a way that I did not anticipate and did not want.
00:19:19.740Um, but there are some uncomfortable conversations that I think we need to have as a society, um, especially in the, in the face of, you know, of a decade long Trudeau government that really kind of embraced this.
00:19:35.320And I'll say I did too in different ways.
00:19:49.740Um, respect for people you live alongside, whether you agree with them or not, you can have a bad interaction with someone.
00:19:55.920We can have a falling out at some point, but that wouldn't, you know, that doesn't need to result in, you know, the canceling of anyone or the labeling of them as anything.
00:20:05.680Um, but values, respect, um, you know, how do you, how do you live beside people?
00:20:14.200How do you, like, how are you showing up in the world?
00:20:17.220What, what are you saying when the first thing that you go to is racism and Islamophobia?
00:20:50.880You would be shocked because I think in, in the context of being a public person in social media, whether political or as a small business, you don't want to talk about bad things.
00:21:01.260Like you, um, even since yesterday, I actually, um, I made a post that says like the inconvenient truth of labeling me as Islamophobic is actually, so I put together a, like a little compilation of me wearing actually a headscarf, right?
00:21:16.640Um, just to say like, this is not, this is not accurate in any way.
00:21:21.840Um, I've already lost hundreds of followers.
00:22:14.520Um, and, um, sensationalizing something for personal gain.
00:22:18.820I presume, I don't know what this woman's motivations would be.
00:22:21.540I don't know if somebody else put her up to it.
00:22:23.160I mean, the whole thing is so bizarre.
00:22:24.360I mean, it's so constructed and contrived.
00:22:27.000It's become, it's, it's now, it's been championed by people who, who within, um, within her community who, um, have views that, you know, that I absolutely fundamentally disagree with.
00:22:39.120Um, but it's become like, uh, it's a, it's a culture of, um, either you agree with me or, you know, like I'll cancel you too.
00:22:50.740And there's actually, there's, there's, there's public record of this because I was actually targeted by a neo-Nazi several years ago, um, who left white supremacist literature on the door of my store.
00:23:02.580Um, and, you know, so like, am I too woke?
00:23:18.460In the same way that, you know, we're in such a quick world of wanting to label someone like liberal or conservative or whatever it is.
00:23:26.580We're, we've become so obsessed with labels in our society.
00:23:32.960And, you know, in the opening monologue, when I was talking about Alberta independence, I'm very surprised by some of the people who I know who've signed either petition.
00:23:48.780And on the flip side, I know people that are really surprised that are getting on board with the separation movement.
00:23:53.700People who are fed up, who I would never have thought were separatists or conversations with them a year ago on the political, at a political level, they weren't interested at all in separation.
00:24:09.520Again, you're having space for holding those multiple truths.
00:24:12.840And that also there's so much behind how every, how anyone appears, right?
00:24:18.080That we are all very complex people, multifaceted, multicultural, you know, if that, you know, that's like a whole other thing, but we're just nothing.
00:24:30.140If we operate from a place of, um, from grace, honestly, in giving people that, um, but then also, you know, not jumping to labeling one another, not jumping to, um, well, I'm going to cancel you because I'm pissed off about whatever.
00:24:45.640Um, like we, it's a race to the bottom.
00:24:50.340Is that where, how fast do we want to get there?
00:24:54.340Well, sir, any parting words for the folks listening today?
00:24:57.180I just, I mean, I, I, again, I'm really grateful that you were able to come on the show and to, and to share this because it's, you deserve to tell your story.
00:25:03.840And in all the time I have known you and getting to know you on the campaign trail and, and learning, you know, your very grassroots motivation for running to be Calgary's mayor.
00:25:14.480And I think you won over a lot of hearts and minds.
00:25:16.780And, uh, I think a lot of people would, would just never believe this story about you.
00:25:22.820And I think, you know, to be mindful that the people who are sounding off on, um, say this woman's posts or other posts that come out of it online, they don't know you.
00:25:30.820They don't understand that this is so far-fetched for, for you to, to be a racist or anything like that.
00:25:38.480But like, there are consequences to our actions, people.
00:25:41.420You know, we teach our children this and we need to live by this as adults.
00:25:44.460It's when you're cruel and malicious to people online, there's consequences to that.
00:25:48.340And sometimes people are brave, like Sarah Elder, and they're going to go on to public platforms and they're going to share the truth of what happened.
00:25:56.600And I think most of us knowing you would believe your side of the story.
00:25:59.720Well, and I've gotten multi-partisan support from people, you know, because they, how can you build a business based on the multi-partisan participation of all women in political spaces, right?
00:26:13.440Like going, very intentionally creating and holding space for diversity, for, um, divergent views.
00:26:21.460Why would I do that with, uh, one week to go?
00:26:50.760Depends on the day and the provincials next year.
00:26:52.880Right, so like, you know, um, but there, I think this warrants a larger conversation in terms of what we, where we have gotten, how we have allowed this to happen.
00:27:06.740And I think we're at a really critical time in terms of, like, our province and our country in terms of, um, you know, having some tougher conversations around who we are as Canadians and Albertans.
00:40:10.700Yeah, I mean, I'm happy to say, I would say, you know, Paul Brandt is such a great advocate, especially at the political level and raising awareness.
00:40:19.700But I think it's important to note that he is highly connected with us, those of us that are on the ground at the community level that are seeing actually what's happening.
00:40:27.900And I'm glad you brought up that new case out of Brooks and, sorry, out of Lethbridge.
00:40:33.460We're supporting four women with the Richard Mantha case.
00:40:36.240And also to speak to Lindsay, your stat, the average age of an individual being trafficked is between age 12 and 14 years old.
00:40:45.020And I, too, am a mother of two teenage daughters.
00:40:51.680They not only are traffickers, you know, obviously grooming and recruiting the vulnerability of individuals, so unhoused addictions, no support of family or community.
00:41:00.720But they're going online and I don't want to give them a lot of credit, but they're really, really good at what they're doing.
00:41:09.060I will throw up recently here in the city of Calgary at one of the malls, they were using an older woman pushing a baby in a stroll to recruit girls that were in the mall setting because they know a female generally will trust a mother female figure.
00:41:29.500Yes, it's a dark underbelly of our city.
00:41:32.020We are really great partners with Calgary City Police, their, you know, their frontline teams, their alert department and the sexual exploitation unit.
00:41:42.640Just being, you know, we're here to support and advocate for these women, but it's also a very dangerous sector to be in.
00:41:50.560And really, I think, you know, it's cultural, right?
00:41:55.640You know, I was sifting around through your website and as well as not my city's website, not my city's collecting signatures right now.
00:42:01.580And Heather, I'm going to go to you to comment on this for joining the fight for stronger protections against child sexual exploitation.
00:42:09.680So there was that recent fall decision by the Supreme Court, it was a narrow five to four decision to strike down the mandatory minimum one year jail sentences for possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material.
00:42:23.100I mean, explain it to me like I'm five, why this is a thing.
00:42:26.220I really struggle to understand why we wouldn't want to have mandatory minimums for that.
00:42:30.140I mean, the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior.
00:42:34.480So, Heather, do you have anything to say on that Supreme Court decision and not having these mandatory minimums?
00:42:54.020And we have those who are watching pornography think it's cool to watch a baby getting raped or getting off on a young child.
00:43:02.200And how you would think it's okay for one year.
00:43:06.460We have victims and people need to remember that about the victims here and the lasting impressions that is left from the abuse that these kids and younger children are going through.
00:43:25.020So, it seems to be in the federal government's mind, it's okay.
00:43:31.460And I would suggest that if it was their child or some other child that's close to them, whether it's a niece or a nephew, if they would still think it's okay.
00:43:43.660You know, I have three children, one son and two daughters.
00:43:46.160And I have big conversations with my 16-year-old because I think you have to in this day and age.
00:43:51.060And I always tell her, you know, it takes five minutes alone in a room with the wrong guy or girl, but typically man, to change the course of your life for the rest of your life.
00:44:01.180And I have had friends close to me who underwent sexual abuse and it changed them forever.
00:46:42.180There is a circuit, they called a circuit throughout the province where they are moving women very, very quickly.
00:46:47.520So it's, it is, it's highly organized, it's highly funded.
00:46:50.880And like Heather mentioned, on average, I think, you know, a trafficker can make $280,000 a year on one individual, their commodities.
00:46:59.620It's not like a drug that's sold and that's, that's done.
00:47:02.140They can sell them over and over again.
00:47:03.840And I just want to mention, Lindsay, I think it's important that with exploitation and trough, exploitation and this kind of trauma, it often puts lies about their worth.
00:47:13.260It blames, it goes right to their identity.
00:47:21.140So when you talk about the lifetime of, you know, healing through, through this, what these people are doing to these, these poor victims, it's, you know, we're dealing with that right on a frontline level.
00:47:34.540And to just go back, circle back to your question, you know, there is obviously, I would say majority is within the gang life, but it's very organized crime.
00:47:44.020Well, just to comment, if I, if I may, Lindsay.
00:47:47.500One of the things I've always found fascinating to all the years that I've done this is people always seem to think it's not their kid and it can be their kid.
00:47:59.540And it is somebody's kid and no child or adults, for that matter, are safe, quite frankly.
00:48:11.100And the younger the kid, the more we're feeding the pedophiles.
00:48:14.400So I think people really need to start being very conscientious about what's going on in this province and this country, quite frankly.
00:48:22.180Yeah, there's, there's, you've got to take the blinders off, right?
00:48:25.460I mean, it's, it's just because it's not necessarily happening to your family doesn't mean that it can't, right?
00:48:29.520And again, five minutes interaction your child has with a stranger could, to change the whole trajectory of their life.