'It was political satire': Lynne Hoff discusses her controversial parade float
The owner of a contentious Alberta parade float that sparked controversy after photos of it began circulating online this weekend is speaking out.
Lynne Hoff was behind the float, which appeared in the Sundre Pro Rodeo's parade on Saturday.
It was a John Deere tractor pulling a manure spreader with the phrase ‘The Liberal’ on it in red lettering, driven by one volunteer dressed as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while another volunteer, dressed as NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, sat on the back of it.
Hoff says it was political satire.
"The last thing it was, was racist," she told CTV News.
"If the leader of the NDP party would have been a blond woman, I'd have been in there. It wasn't anything to do with the Sikh community."
Hoff says Sundre is a very welcoming and inclusive town and that the float was motivated by a tumultuous two years of COVID-19 restrictions, federally and provincially.
"These lockdowns have kept Sundre from having their parade for two years," Hoff said.
"We just wanted to bring some levity and showcase that a little bit. There was laughter all the way down the parade route."
Unsanctioned entry in the Sundre Rode Parade in the Alberta town that including depictions of Prime Minister Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. (Twitter)On Sunday, both the Sundre Pro Rodeo and the parade committee said they did not approve Hoff's entry.
"The entry was not approved and, upon further investigation, joined the parade without passing through any registration," the committee wrote in a statement that was posted on the Sundre Pro Rodeo's Facebook page.
Hoff says she is a supporter of the rodeo, but believes there may have been a miscommunication between organizers and herself.
"I was a little surprised," she said. "I don’t sneak around about anything."
"The Sundre Rodeo Committee is a wonderful group of people, they're all volunteers and I am not going to contradict what they said, but I think that there was a mistake."
Hoff says those who found the float offensive have a right to be offended.
"I don’t think it was done in poor taste," she said. "It was political satire."
She says Canada has seen political satire dating back a century, referencing The Milch Cow, a political cartoon from 1915 depicting easterners raking in rewards from hard working western Canadians.
A copy of The Milch Cow, a political cartoon from 1915. "It shows the cow that is Canada," she said. "It shows Alberta feeding all the hay, Saskatchewan and Manitoba doing more work, and central Canada getting all the milk and that really hasn’t changed for 100 years."
Hoff says anyone who found the float racist or offensive is welcome to visit Sundre.
Mayor Richard Warnock says the town does not condone any type of racism.
"We are extremely disappointed to learn about an unauthorized float and their attempt at a political statement gained access this past weekend to an event that our community has celebrated for years," said Warnock.
When questioned if felt racism was not the intention of the float, Warnock said no.
"I don't believe that racism was intended against the Sikh community," he said.
"But nevertheless, it was taken that way, and therefore, we just can't have that."
Sundre resident Neran Persaud says he is dismayed people suggested the float had racist undertones.
"Come out here and see for yourself," he said.
"Don't just sit in Calgary and yell 'racism' because you see something that you don't like. That was a political statement."
Persaud says he has lived in Sundre for five years and has always felt welcomed.
"I don't like it when people say that this is racism, and this town is racist," he said.
"Look at me, I'm a man of colour, living in this town. I'm well accepted here and I've never had anything derogatory said to me."
The parade committee does say that it is putting in place measures that will stop similar floats from showing up in the parade in the future.
Calgary’s mayor Jyoti Gondek reinforced her view on Monday that the float had racist undertones.
She says it drives people away from Alberta, a province she believes can have a bad reputation for similar events.
“It’s not funny, it’s not amusing, you’re killing our economy by perpetuating this stereotype,” said Gondek.
When asked what measures are in place to prevent a rogue float from joining the upcoming Calgary Stampede Parade, officials with the organization issued the following statement:
The volunteer Parade Committee has a thorough selection process for its entrants, along with on route security to ensure the safety of participants and guests.
"The Calgary Stampede Parade has been taking place for over 100 years and has always embodied the spirit of our community."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
How do you navigate the social media minefield with your kids?
Growing fears about social media's harm have sparked lawsuits against social media companies from hundreds of school districts in the United States and now Canada. CTVNews.ca wants to know whether your children are addicted to social media or if you have concerns about their usage of platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and X.