Langley Conservative candidate mum on connection to blackface performers

An event attended byCloverdale-Langley CityConservative candidate Tamara Jansenand hosted by her family businessfeatured entertainers in blackface.

Requests by CBC to speak with Jansen were not responded to, howeverConservative Leader Andrew Scheerdid comment.

"To my knowledge [Jansen] herself has not [worn blackface] and she has not lied about it," said Scheer.

"I don't believe it's the same comparable at all to Justin Trudeau who personally has been shown to be conducting himself like that and then being unable to tell the truth to Canadians about it."

Photos of the traditional Dutch ChristmasSinterklaasCelebration at the Jansen-owned Milner Gardens started circulating on social media soon after images and video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wearing black and brown face surfaced.

The Sinterklaas images are from 2015 and 2016 and show performers playing the role ofZwarte Piet orBlack Peter in full blackface.

In Dutch folklore, Black Peter is Sinterklaas' impish helper who delivers gifts.According to some historical interpretations, the original Black Peter was Saint Nicholas' Moorish slave or servant.

Langley resident EruoreVesesaid he's tried to bring attention to the blackface element of his town'sSinterklaasevent for years.

'Couldn't believe what I was seeing'

Vese said he wasparticularly upset to find Black Peter photos on the Sinterklaas Celebration website.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing," said Vese. "This [event] is still ongoing in Langley as of last year and people I know go to it."

"When my kids were younger I tried to explain to them why they were [wearing blackface,]" said Vese. "My kids are mixed race. Ihad to tell them I don't know why."

Controversy over the Sinterklaas Celebration first reared its head in 2011 whenthe New Westminster Quay cancelled the event over complaints about Black Peter.

In 2015, the United Nationssaid the characterof Zwarte Pietwas "an expression of racism and discrimination" related to slavery.

In the Netherlands, thepresence of blackface Black Peters in the annual Saint Nicholas parade has led to violent confrontations between those who support the tradition versusthose who argue it isracist.

Parade organizer and public broadcasterNTRhas announced for this year parade,Black Peters will have sooty facesonly to reflect an alternativeinterpretation of a character whose face gets dirty from going up and down chimneys.

The SinterklausCelebration moved from Milner Gardens to the Cloverdale Rodeo grounds in 2017.

Recent photos on the eventwebsite appearto show Black Peter performers wearing full face makeup in colours other than black.