Racist wine video sparks outrage

A Canadian labour union, promoting the Quebec liquor authority SAQ, has promised to remove a racist comment from its promotional video after a backlash of criticism.

The video, at 6:45, shows a man criticising “Indians” and “Pakistanis” who he says know nothing about wine (Photo: Vimeo)

The ‘documentary’ that was hosted by Canadian labour union CSN – which was designed to promote Quebec’s state alcohol system in comparison with the privatised Alberta system – featured an unsavoury comment by one Yao Datté.

Comparing the two liquor systems, he said that which exists in Alberta is full of people advising customers on wine who are “Pakistanis or Indians, who don’t know wine, who don’t even drink wine.”

The union group CSN issued a statement saying it would edit it out of the piece, though it remained on the website for hours after the controversy surfaced.

CSN communications director Louis-Serge Houle called it “unfortunate” and unintentional, reports Canada’s National Post.

He said the controversy “should not detract” from the message of the video, which is that liquor prices aren’t necessarily cheaper in Alberta, and Quebecers are well served by the system they have.

See below for the video: