Komick’s swastika comments “outrageous and inflammatory”, Premier says

Marco Levytsky, NP-UN Western Bureau Chief.

Calgary Lougheed United Conservative Party Constituency Association President Darrell Komick’s comments that Ukrainian evacuees came here with “zero screening” and are “walking around with swastikas” are “outrageous and inflammatory”, says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

“I told him he was wrong, and I told him what our solution was – that we have worked with our incredible diaspora to settle 70,000 people who have come here,” she stated in response to a question from New Pathway – Ukrainian News during a virtual roundtable with the multicultural media September 19.

“When we look at the number who are requiring additional supports, it’s only 1700 which says to me that that has been incredibly successful. I have no idea what he was talking about. He was unable to provide any verification of his statement. It was outrageous and inflammatory, and I told him so at the time. But I think that the settlement of Ukrainian evacuees has been one of the greatest success stories we have had in our province,” she added.

Asked further whether she would make those comments public, Smith replied: “I did at the time. I just said that he was wrong and that that is not what I have seen and he wasn’t able to say anything other than his own personal observation.”

The original question was:

“On July 30 at the Town Hall meeting of the Calgary Lougheed UCP Constituency Association, its president, Darrell Komick, was reported as saying Ukrainian evacuees have come to Alberta with ‘zero screening’ which is totally false and added that they are now walking around with swastikas. That last statement is not only totally false but can be interpreted as a violation of Article 319 of the Criminal Code of Canada which refers to the incitement of hatred against an identifiable group. Is this report accurate, and so, will you condemn this hateful remark and have Komick removed as president of the association?”

Smith did not reply whether she would have Komick removed.

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