Campbellford reels, Legion closes after Halloween furore

The Star Published On Thu Nov 04 2010

Outraged witnesses say these two Halloween partygoers at the Campbellford, Ont. Legion, one wearing a Ku Klux Klan costume and leading another in blackface by a noose, won first place in the night’s costume competition.

Amy DempseyStaff Reporter Kate AllenStaff Reporter Related

• Costume wins 1st prize CAMPBELLFORD -- On Halloween weekend, two men were united by costume: one dressed as a Ku Klux Klan member led another in blackface through a small-town Legion party by a noose. Less than a week later, however, they are divided about the controversy their getups have caused.

“It was a big mistake and I just want it to go away,” said Terry Nunn, who sat stonefaced in a back corner of the Riverview restaurant in his usually quiet town on Wednesday afternoon. He folded his hands on the table in front of him and bent his head. “I don't want this to be a circus.”

On Saturday night, Nunn and his friend Blair Crowley won the prize for “most original costume” at the Legion party in Campbellford. Crowley dressed as the Klansman and sported a Confederate flag; Nunn, a retired Toronto police officer, was in blackface. He wore a flannel shirt, jeans and a noose.

Crowley thinks the incident was blown out of proportion and was just a joke, according to his 17-year-old, who answered the door at the family home in nearby Hastings on Wednesday. His father is away on business; Crowley works in the printing business in , family members said.

“My dad’s not racist, his best friend is black,” the son said.

Crowley “randomly decided to roll up a piece of bristol board and throw on a sheet” a half- hour before the party, his son recalled.

“Maybe he should have just gone to the Legion as Raggedy Ann and Andy with my mom, like he was supposed to.”

Nunn was elected director of legal services for the Toronto Police Association, the force’s union, in 2003 and as recently as 2004 served as its acting vice-president.

Mike McCormack, current president of the TPA, said the incident was “totally insensitive, regardless of where they used to work.” He added he knew Nunn, but that “whether he’s a good person in other ways…the one action is obviously grossly inappropriate.”

In Campbellford, residents are dismayed by the negative attention the incident has drawn. Ranking officers at the Royal Canadian Legion are washing their hands of the incident. The Provincial Police are investigating.

The Legion has temporarily closed its doors under the orders of provincial commanders. “It’s very unfortunate that the poor decisions of two individuals have put Campbellford under the microscope of the nation,” said Hector Macmillan, mayor of the municipality of , which includes Campbellford, as he stood outside the locked-up Legion.

“They should have never been allowed in the building, and they certainly should never have won a prize.”

Mark Andrade, who helped bring the incident to the media’s attention, agrees. “It’s not reflective of what life is like in Campbellford, otherwise I wouldn’t be living here,” said Andrade, who is black.

“I’d like the town to get back to normal. That’d be nice. But I know that won’t happen right away,” he said.

Andrade has received a few racist, expletive-filled phone calls since photos of the incident were made public, but the overwhelming feedback has been positive.

One woman, Wendy Thorn, walked into Andrade’s restaurant a few doors down from the Legion and told him, “I just wanted to say I’m glad you went to the media, and I can’t believe what happened.”

Officials at every level of the Royal Canadian Legion’s organization are scrambling to make amends.

Dominion President Patricia Varga released an official apology from Ottawa Wednesday, saying she sincerely regretted the incident and was satisfied that the Ontario commanders were handling the follow-up investigation properly.

“I also want the citizens of Canada and the members of the organization to know that this behaviour is not condoned by the Legion nor is it reflective of its members,” Varga said.

In Ontario, the Provincial Command closed the branch and began an investigation into the incident to discover “who was conducting the event, who was the member in charge, what exactly happened, and go from there,” according to executive director Dave Gordon.

The Campbellford branch’s president, Joy Herrington, released a statement of apology on Tuesday.

Ontario Provincial Police officers have suggested the incident was merely bad judgment; investigators do not expect to lay criminal charges. -With files from Allison Cross

KKK costume wins first prize at Legion Halloween party Published On Wed Nov 03 2010

[Same picture as above] Outraged witnesses say these two Halloween partygoers at the Campbellford, Ont. Legion, one wearing a Ku Klux Klan costume and leading another in blackface by a noose, won first place in the night’s costume competition.

Kate AllenStaff Reporter Mark Andrade sat down at the Campbellford Royal Canadian Legion hall on Saturday night looking forward to a Halloween beer. Instead, he was treated to the sight of one man parading around in a Ku Klux Klan costume with a Confederate flag.

The partygoer was leading another man in blackface around the room by a noose.

Andrade left his beer on the bar and walked out. Friends told him later that the two men had won first prize at the Legion’s Halloween costume competition.

“This is 2010,” said Andrade, who is black. “That’s unacceptable, especially in a Legion. A Legion, of all places.”

Joy Herrington, president of the Legion, issued an apology on Tuesday.

“As president of Branch 103 Campbellford of the Royal Canadian Legion, I humbly apologize to all those offended by the events that took place at our Halloween party on October the 30th, 2010. The events in no way reflect the views of the royal Canadian legion or its members. Those responsible have been spoken to.”

Herrington, who wasn’t present at the event and could not confirm details, said she reported the incident to the Legion’s Ontario Provincial Command as soon as she heard about it. Any further action “will be in the hands of our superiors,” she said.

Const. Chris Dewsbury said the OPP would investigate after police received a complaint, and an officer was assigned to the case.

Dewsbury couldn't speculate on what, if any, charges would be laid. When Andrade phoned the Legion himself on Monday morning, he says Herrington told him she had been deluged with phone calls and personally apologized. “She was extremely sympathetic, apologetic and disgusted,” he said.

Andrade doesn’t think an apology is quite enough. “Shouldn’t there be some kind of sensitivity training for them? Should there be people monitoring what kind of costumes come into their parties? I should think this stuff is common sense.”

Andrade, 40, who owns Rubbs Barbeque Bistro a few doors down from the Legion, has lived in Campbellford for 12 years. He didn’t recognize either of the costumed men.

He says the incident was out of character for the town of approximately 3,000 residents, which is 180 kilometres northeast of Toronto.

“I think the general reaction was disgust,” Andrade says.

A spokesperson for Veteran’s Affairs Canada said the Ministry has no jurisdiction over Legions.