Some residents are upset after a Toronto neighbourhood decided to borrow a slogan from U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign.
“As soon as I saw it, I thought it was ridiculous,” Amanda Munday told CTV News Toronto on Wednesday. She was referring to the Danforth Village BIA’s slogan, “Make Danforth Great Again.”
On the BIA’s website, there were memes of Trump photoshopped on the eastern Danforth. The memes have since been removed.
“I don't think the BIA should be promoting a man or his ideals that are not at all representative of our community,” said Munday.
After a picture of the logo was posted online yesterday, a flurry of comments followed. People said they were disgusted. One person said the slogan “is tantamount to saying make Danforth Village white again.”
City councillor Janet Davis sits on the BIA board. She said she was outraged.
“Right now in the context of what is happening with white supremacist demonstrations it really should go,” she said. “I think it was in bad taste, an attempt at humour that missed the mark.”
When contacted by CTV News the BIA pulled the images from its website and issued a statement, saying the slogan was approved back in November and meant as satire.
In a written statement, they said: "At the time, many of us believed that the idea that he would be elected President of the United States was outrageous. This video in no way suggests any support of Donald Trump or his beliefs, especially in light of what is currently happening in the United States."
The BIA announced it would be pulling the branding - which many in the community say is wise.
“It does have undertones of what is going on over there,” said one area resident.
“We don't need to be promoting those values here on the Danforth in Canada,” said Munday, who added that she thinks the Danforth Village is “already great.”
With files from Natalie Johnson
