If simple statement of support from the Ku Klux Klan to Edmonton politician Dan Knott is taken as enough to warrant a school named after him to be re-named, let's look at other politicians that the KKK supported.
According to research done for the writing of my book Old Strathcona Edmonton's Southside Roots, the KKK in the early 1930s vented hatred against Catholics and French more than against blacks.
Its hate found fertile ground among Protestants, and on occasion hundreds attended KKK events in Edmonton. Attendance grew to such an extent that local KKK organizer J.J. Maloney asked mayor James Douglas for permission to use the large city auditorium for its events. The mayor, James Douglas, a former Strathcona MP, refused to allow this.
Douglas had his roots in the Liberal Party, but during WWI had shifted to the Union government, the Conservative/Liberal coalition led by Conservative Prime Minister Borden. And then had run (unsuccessfully) in 1921 as a full Conservative candidate.
The KKK wanted revenge so when Douglas was up for re-election in 1931, it backed
Dan Knott, the only candidate running against Douglas. There is no report of Knott soliciting this support.
The KKK then it seems saw Knott as opportunistic. When he ran for re-election in December 1932 it switched its support to Joe Clarke, whom despite being Catholic, the Maloney felt was more easily controlled.
Does that mean then that we should re-name the Clarke Stadium?
Clarke was not successful in the 1932 vote. Knott was re-elected despite KKK's support for Clarke. The KKK's attack on a third candidate, former mayor Kenny Blatchford, drove him to despair and he took his life a few months later.
Meanwhile, two months after the 1932 election Maloney was in jail charged with administering the KKK's secret oath, and for conspiracy and theft.
Later after serving prison time, he moved away. When he returned to Edmonton in 1938 he assured Liberal MP James McKinnon that Conservatives would be voting for him to prevent the election of Social Credit or CCF candidates.
Does that mean that we should rename the McKinnon Ravine?
The point is that support from the KKK - extremist, bombastic and vain-glorious - should not be enough to besmirch the career of politicians.
Or if so, let's look at politicians that did support the KKK.
The UFA government led by John Brownlee, in a smoothly-orchestrated process, passed a law on Sept. 17, 1932, incorporating the KKK in Alberta, the only case of that happening in the British Empire.
The KKK maintained this incorporation until 2003, through Aberhart's and Manning's SC governments and Lougheed''s and Klein's Conservative governments.
Does that mean we should rename
the Brownlee Building downtown?
the Aberhart Centre, a long-term medical care centre at the UofA?
William Aberhart High School, Calgary?
the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis?
the Peter Lougheed Centre, a Calgary acute care hospital?
the Ralph Klein Park, Calgary?
In 1974, the Government of Canada named Aberhart a Person of National Historic Significance. A plaque commemorating this sits inside Crescent Heights High School at 1019 1st NW, Calgary, Alberta. Should this be removed?
Or is it only Labour Party mayor Dan Knott and Liberal MP Frank Oliver who should be made to pay the price for connection to the KKK?
Thanks for reading.
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