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DeSi
02-27-2004, 10:13 AM
Harper confuses aboriginals with Indo Canadians in letter

Bill Curry
CanWest News Service


Friday, February 27, 2004

(Stephen Harper)

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An aboriginal group is expressing "shock and outrage" after receiving a letter from Stephen Harper wishing them well as they celebrate India's national day.

The Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres this week described the letter from the Conservative party leadership hopeful as "shameful."

The one-page letter, dated Jan. 26, and signed by Harper, is titled "Greetings on the Occasion of India's National Day."

Harper goes on to write that "On behalf of the official Opposition in Canada's Parliament, it is a privilege for me to extend greetings for the celebration of India's Republic Day.

"As you partake in cultural festivities and events, which honour your ancestors and celebrate your heritage, I am pleased to pay tribute to the members of the Indian community in Canada.

"I salute you for your important and long-standing contributions to the economic and cultural vitality of our wonderful country and offer you my best wishes for the year ahead."

Harper would not comment on the letter, but his spokeswoman Caroline Stewart-Olsen said it was a clerical mistake due to a database problem.

Stewart-Olsen said the letter may have been signed by a "signing arm" machine, or Harper was not aware of the address when he signed the letter. The letter does not indicate the recipient's name or address.

"It would have been presented to him to sign this as a congratulations to the Indo-Canadian society and he would have signed it. He wouldn't have looked at the address on it," Stewart-Olsen said.

"It was unfortunate that that happened. We send out a lot of greetings from Stephen to a lot of people. We have a whole database. It was inputted incorrectly and that's how that happened. We've sent them a letter of apology," she said. "It was a simple error. These things happen all the time. They took offence and we've apologized."

Sylvia Maracle, the executive director of the federation, said she had yet to be contacted by Harper or his representatives but would accept the apology.

"I don't doubt it's a clerical error," she said. "It's the issue though of the sort of general insensitivity. Whether it's a systemic problem or whether it's some individual who made a poor choice, the fact of the matter is that the man who is running to be leader of the Conservatives signed it and didn't pay attention."

Calgary Herald Article (http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/story.asp?id=0958732C-E619-457B-9B3E-24BDCF018765)

BigShow
02-27-2004, 06:14 PM
Haha...that's pretty funny.. :rofl:

Marsh
03-02-2004, 09:47 PM
that silly harper, what was he thinking?!:tongue: