http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/310088

"Mayor David Miller sharply criticized Councillor Rob Ford today for “outrageous and absolutely unacceptable” comments about Asians during a council debate.

Speaking last night during a debate over expanding business openings on holidays, Ford said, “Oriental people are slowly taking over.”

Ford went on to describe people from the Far East as workaholics. “Those Oriental people work like dogs … they sleep beside their machines.” he said. “They’re hard, hard workers.” "

Rob Ford, a right-wing city councillor has once again stepped out of bounds, but perhaps this is indicative of the very society we live in. As if using the outdated and offensive term 'oriental' wasn't bad enough, but to essentialize a racialized identity? Comments on asians "slowly taking over" is not unlike the rhetoric commonly used against East Asian immigrants and can be traced back to 19th/20th century when there were fears of the "yellow peril". Taking over also makes it clear that racialized minorities like Asians are not accepted in his imagination of what is Canadian. Why are we taking over? Are we not supposed to be considered fellow countrymen/women under a multicultural society? Of course, this just shows the problem with borders and the social construct of the nation-state.

Someone passing on the street once commented, towards my sister, that 'our' people was invading the country. ... let's not forget that European invasion of the Americas and colonialism in Asia, the very processes that brought 'our people' here in the first place.

"Asked Wednesday night about his comments, Ford said he meant Asians are further advanced in business than they were a century ago."

His 'apology' and clarification is just as bad as his original comments. As if to attribute the economic problems faced by Asian countries to 'business skills'.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080306/Ford_commen...
-Video of the incident (Click on the link on the sidebar)