Cloverdale-Langley City candidate Tamara Jansen has not spoken to the media since photos were circulated of performers in blackface at events held at her familyB次元官网网址檚 greenhouses in recent years.
After photos of people made up in blackface to play Black Peter, or Zwarte Piet, at Sinterklaas celebrations were released online by the comedy persona Ed the Sock, multiple news organizations, including the Langley Advance Times, CBC, and local radio stations, attempted to contact Jansen or her constituency office for comment.
Attempts by the Advance Times to reach Jansen included emailing, texting, and calling her campaign office.
JansenB次元官网网址檚 campaignB次元官网网址檚 Facebook page does not have any posts addressing the controversy, but has updated regularly with posts about the candidate out doorknocking or meeting the public over the weekend.
A federal Conservative spokesperson confirmed the events were held at one of JansenB次元官网网址檚 family greenhouses in recent years and that Jansen attended, but did not wear blackface. The Conservative statement attacked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his own past blackface incidents, which came to light last week and included dressing as B次元官网网址淎laddinB次元官网网址� with heavy makeup in 2001, along with at least two other incidents in the early 1990s.
The Advance Times contacted the campaign office again on Monday and the person who answered the phone said Jansen would be too busy to speak with reporters that day.
The Sinterklaas celebrations have taken place among Dutch-Canadian communities in the Lower Mainland for decades, but the largest celebration, hosted until 2011 at the New Westminster Quay, left that venue in 2011 after controversy over whether or not the Zwarte Piet figure is offensive to black people.
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The character is seen as traditionally representing a Moor, or a person from North Africa, but is performed by a white person in black or brown makeup.
Recent Sinterklaas celebrations in the Fraser Valley have seen fewer Black Peter figures in blackface, with most of the performers in colourful makeup including orange, purple, and green.
