A Sarnia city councillor, who was the centre of past controversy, says he won't be taking part in future diversity training.
On Monday, council directed staff to issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) for optional training.
A motion by Councillor Chrissy McRoberts to have Diversity Ed complete the course for free, was amended by council to give other organizations a chance to place a bid.
"We cannot come to be councillors, and hope to represent the city, with the knowledge that we were born and raised with alone," said McRoberts. "We have to be open to listening. What you choose to do with that education lies on you individually. We can't turn away from the opportunity to be educated, in all areas. If we're dealing directly with community members, we have to be aware of what they're going through and what they've dealt with."
Toronto-based KOJO Institute tried to hold an education session with the previous council in November of 2021.
Quoting Justice Clarence Thomas, Dennis said racism cannot be undone by different or more racism.
"I believe that no one should be given, or not given, an opportunity based on the colour of their skin, sexual orientation or gender," said Dennis. "Unfortunately, this premise of total equality is not what diversity training is all about. Diversity training should actually be called divisiveness training. We should not be trying to divide people by their race or sexual orientation or anything else. Diversity training creates an 'us versus them' mentality. It often defames Canada and our citizens. Diversity training is often about blaming, shaming and victimhood, and that is counterproductive to equality."
Dennis also said the training received from the KOJO Institute was both "divisive and racist."
"You may recall that after I disagreed with the messaging of that trainer, there was a political public campaign to smear me by certain individuals and special interest groups. Despite that, I was honoured to be the top councillor in the polls during election time. Just last week, I was vindicated when the National Post dropped a bombshell revelation that Ojo-Thompson was being sued over her training."
Dennis feels many are afraid to speak out against diversity training.
"If you speak up, there's a small and very loud fringe hate group that try to destroy you," he said. "They'll go after your job and your business, and try to deprive people of making a living. If you disagree with them, they contact your employer and spew hate and lies. This is the kind of hate that society should not go on permitting. I believe in quality, I believe in merit and I don't believe in work cultural Marxism. We can't allow an extreme base to set new rules."
Councillor Adam Kilner spoke about his own experiences in the community as a black man.
"I just want to say how enriching it was on Canada Day to see the most diverse Sarnia that I think I have ever seen," said Kilner. "Outside of my own childhood, my family members, and perhaps a couple of others, that [has] not been a common experience. Every single day, I go to a convenience store or the local Tim Hortons and I see people with a similar complexion from different areas and I get a wonderful opportunity."
Kilner said he sees a common theme when he speaks with white audiences who are opposed to diversity training.
"They always turn to Martin Luther King," he said. "Martin Luther King had his face bashed in and ended up in jail on at least 30 occasions for this very same stuff. I grew up in a school system where my own history wasn't taught, except for that one white teacher who thought it was important to read the book 'Underground to Canada,'" Kilner said. "I can't speak to what happened in the last council, but I can say that anytime I've had a teacher that I didn't gel with, I didn't choose to stop learning. I chose to find a teacher that could help propel me forward. That, to me, is what diversity training is all about. It's not about politics. When we turn diversity training into politics, it makes my very existence political. This training is meant to form the building up of our community, not the politicization of each other."
Councillors Terry Burrell and David Boushy also voted against the motion.
Sarnia council will deal with the matter again at a later date.