Amherst councillor who used N-word asked to step down

Calls are coming from across Nova Scotia for Amherst Coun.George Baker to resign and drop out of the race for mayor because of his recent use of the N-word.

Baker, who is white, admits he made the comments in July while working a side job delivering pizzas. He said it to staff at the pizza shop.

A crowd of more than 100 people marched past Amherst Town Hall Tuesday for a diversity rally.

Change for the town

Blacks and whites at the rally carried signs that read: "Systemic Racism is Real,""It's Time to Have a Voice" and "Unity Respect Awareness".

Amherst resident Sheila Upshaw helped organize the event. She said she hopes the rally is a start of change for the town.

"In my own opinion, a positive Amherst to me, we wouldn't be here in this situation if this one word wasn't said," Upshaw said.

"I'm not saying that we're overlooking the fact that of what happened with the politician here ... but we have to look at the whole-case scenario. We can't just walk away today and forget the fact that things are still unattended to, because things still need to change."

'[Baker] should be reprimanded'

Upshaw said she was "heartbroken" that Baker a man that has watched her grow up and knew her parents uttered the offensive word.

"Even if it was an accident, it was still wrong," she said. "There's got to be penalties towards that. I know that George, people like him in this town, he's respected in this town. I'm not saying that I hate this man, that's a harsh word. But at the same time there are penalties and he should be reprimanded in some way."

Another Amherst resident, Jason Blanch, attended the rally with his10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son.

Blanch, who is also running for town council, received a lot ofsupport for a recent Facebook post he wrote calling on Baker to resign.

'Embarrassing'for town

"I talked about how embarrassing it is for us that he would stay ...after saying such an offensive thing," Blanch said.

Blanch, who is white, said you don't need to be black to be offended by the word.

"One of the things that offended me the most is that [Baker]said after the fact that he didn't say a bad word," Blanch said, at one point breaking down in tears.

"I just spent my life working with people around the world and I just care."

Calls to step down

Jason MacLean, president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, also called on Baker to step down.

"Now, what Mr. Baker did was wrong, he kind of admits that he was wrong and he needs to be taken to task on it and that's why we're here," MacLean said. "But we also need to heal.

"People who hold public office, they must be held accountable, they must be held at a higher level because they chose to represent people."

Several other labour groups also attended the rally.

The province is considering a code of conduct for municipalities because of Baker's actions.