Western Standard - December 14, 2023


The shameful and hateful behaviour of Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek


Episode Stats

Length

5 minutes

Words per Minute

195.09132

Word Count

1,036

Sentence Count

70

Misogynist Sentences

7

Hate Speech Sentences

3


Summary

Mayor Jodi Gondek boycotted a Hanukkah menorah lighting in Calgary because of a poster with the words "Support Israel" on it. She tried to distance herself from the event, but it was too late.


Transcript

00:00:00.000 What is the special role of a mayor?
00:00:03.200 Well, the role of being a mayor is to speak for the city or town represented.
00:00:07.260 They're the representative of the people.
00:00:09.380 While the mayor is political by nature, of course, they're elected there,
00:00:12.480 and they're going to hold political views,
00:00:14.140 they're expected to set the personal politics aside
00:00:16.860 when they're at functions representing constituents.
00:00:20.440 Calgary Mayor Yodi Gondek threw all that out the window
00:00:23.860 when she allowed her anti-Semitic views to dominate her actions
00:00:27.400 and boycotted a menorah lighting in Calgary.
00:00:30.620 Now, the lighting of the menorah has been a tradition in Calgary's city hall for 35 years.
00:00:36.060 Mayors of multiple faiths have diligently attended
00:00:38.640 and respectfully taken part in the joyous Jewish tradition
00:00:41.740 of celebrating light over darkness with the lighting of a menorah.
00:00:45.540 It kicks off the observance of Hanukkah
00:00:47.480 and offers a bonding event for Jews and non-Jews alike.
00:00:51.740 But Gondek went and cast darkness over the tradition
00:00:54.100 as she misrepresented what it was about
00:00:56.360 and then boycotted it as publicly as she could.
00:00:59.160 She brought shame to the office of mayor
00:01:00.900 and by extension to the city of Calgary.
00:01:04.020 Gondek's snub of Calgary's Jewish citizens
00:01:06.140 had the opposite effect she hoped for, though.
00:01:08.300 The event enjoyed record attendance
00:01:10.440 as the city hall atrium was packed
00:01:12.260 and overflowed into the hallways of the building.
00:01:15.740 The only complaint I have of the event,
00:01:17.080 I went there myself,
00:01:17.860 was how the uncomfortable heat was generated
00:01:19.680 with a room jammed with so many people.
00:01:22.160 And for those who've never attended one,
00:01:23.700 just imagine a menorah lighting is something like a Christmas concert.
00:01:26.840 Most, you know, Canadians have been to one of those.
00:01:28.640 Yeah, there's a bit of a religious element.
00:01:30.480 Most of the affair is focused on community bonding
00:01:32.480 and having a good time.
00:01:33.900 There was music, dancing, food,
00:01:35.860 and children's choirs sang traditional songs.
00:01:39.180 It wasn't politicized,
00:01:40.380 and it certainly wasn't a rally or a hateful event.
00:01:43.100 So, why did Gondek go out of her way to discredit herself
00:01:47.400 and embarrass the entire city of Calgary
00:01:49.480 with her attack on the event?
00:01:51.460 Well, there was a poster that came out days before the event,
00:01:54.320 and it had the words,
00:01:55.440 Support Israel on it.
00:01:57.340 Yes, Jews were supporting their traditional homeland
00:02:00.480 of thousands of years.
00:02:02.280 Neither the poster or the event spoke of supporting the war
00:02:05.200 or supporting the government of Israel.
00:02:07.380 Those are different things.
00:02:08.240 It was simply a statement of support for a country
00:02:10.200 that the vast majority of Canadians agree has the right to exist.
00:02:14.120 In trying to call that statement controversial,
00:02:17.340 Gondek's mask vanished.
00:02:18.860 She's among those extremists who feel Israel shouldn't exist.
00:02:22.460 She feels Jews shouldn't be able to even express the desire
00:02:25.640 of wanting to maintain the nation of Israel.
00:02:28.580 Supporters of Gondek's vile stance
00:02:30.480 have also been falsely claiming that war bonds were sold at the event.
00:02:34.040 They're purposely misrepresenting the practice of giving out two Israel bonds.
00:02:38.780 These are savings bonds.
00:02:39.720 It's like you can get a Canada Savings Bond
00:02:41.120 to children at the event in a raffle.
00:02:43.920 It happens every year.
00:02:45.880 It has for years and years.
00:02:47.120 It had nothing to do with the war.
00:02:48.520 It doesn't matter.
00:02:49.320 Gondek keeps doubling down.
00:02:50.560 She keeps talking about this.
00:02:52.540 When Gondek snidely told organizers she wouldn't attend,
00:02:55.340 they did at least ask.
00:02:56.740 They tried negotiating.
00:02:57.660 They said,
00:02:57.980 could you quietly step out of the role?
00:02:59.860 She said,
00:03:00.300 no,
00:03:01.200 no.
00:03:01.800 She wants to make noise about it.
00:03:03.060 They said,
00:03:03.320 well,
00:03:03.460 if you're going to put out a press release,
00:03:04.820 will you show it to us?
00:03:06.240 So we can respond.
00:03:07.200 And she said,
00:03:07.600 no.
00:03:08.300 And she put out a charged release full of misinformation about the event.
00:03:11.560 Now,
00:03:11.740 condemnation of Gondek's move was immediate.
00:03:13.860 And aside from among some extremists,
00:03:15.660 it was universal.
00:03:17.720 Veteran Calgary Herald columnist Don Braid began a column with the words,
00:03:21.360 Jody Gondek is not fit to be the mayor of Calgary.
00:03:25.180 Braid's usually restrained.
00:03:26.740 I mean,
00:03:26.940 he can certainly be cutting with his columns,
00:03:28.560 but he was clearly outraged by Gondek's repugnant actions.
00:03:31.760 And he's right.
00:03:32.680 Gondek isn't fit to be mayor.
00:03:34.660 Sadly,
00:03:35.080 it's going to be two years before Calgarians can do anything about that.
00:03:38.440 The day after the menorah lighting,
00:03:39.780 Gondek went on the Calgary radio show,
00:03:41.280 and while she was drawing condemnation and ire across the entire country over this by now,
00:03:45.740 rather than just showing a bit of contrition,
00:03:47.800 or even just going to carpet,
00:03:49.380 she doubled down.
00:03:50.480 She implied those sneaky Jews had pulled the wool over her eyes with the issuing of that poster.
00:03:55.240 The poster was issued well before Gondek's boycott.
00:03:58.640 And it was the same notion as nature as posters from years gone by.
00:04:02.800 Gondek has been roundly called out by several columnists and others
00:04:06.220 for spreading the old anti-Semitic trope about these sneaky Jews.
00:04:10.700 She remains defiant, though,
00:04:11.800 and unapologetic despite having offended Calgary's entire Jewish community,
00:04:15.020 and of course many people outside of the community,
00:04:16.900 during what are very challenging times.
00:04:19.120 All Gondek would have had to have done
00:04:20.680 is show up, smile, say some nice words, and move on.
00:04:25.980 But her loathing in the Jewish community just wouldn't let her.
00:04:29.000 Jews represent less than 2% of Canada's population,
00:04:31.680 yet nearly 70% of the reported hate crimes in Canada are against Jews.
00:04:36.000 As due to the sort of divisive, hateful leadership shown by people such as Jody Gondek,
00:04:40.840 along with the extreme union leaders and academics that have been out there spreading their garbage.
00:04:46.160 There's only one way to hold Gondek accountable, though.
00:04:48.380 It is up to voters.
00:04:49.780 She has to be fired in the next election, and it has to be done decisively.
00:04:52.900 Regardless, decisively, Calgarians are terribly apathetic when it comes to civic elections,
00:04:57.420 and the price of that indifference represents itself in mayors like Gondek.
00:05:01.260 Gondek's unfit to be Calgary's mayor.
00:05:03.600 Calgarians have to come out in force to let the rest of the nation know she doesn't represent them.
00:05:08.520 That means taking part in the next municipal election, and in force next time.
00:05:12.840 Calgary deserves better.
00:05:13.780 I mean, she's actually made me miss the head and inchie, and that's saying a lot.