Former Vancouver chief planner Brent Toderian has called on Vancouverites via Twitter to demand the removal of the Trump name from the Trump International Hotel and Tower currently finishing up construction in downtown Vancouver.
As #Trump calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S, I seriously suggest that Vancouverites call on @TrumpVancouver to remove his name.
— Brent Toderian (@BrentToderian) December 8, 2015
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's official statement calling for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US" has sparked a huge local public and media backlash, and Toderian's tweet has been widely shared and supported.
Toderian told CBC News that he was horrified by Trump's comments and the recent direction of the discourse in US politics.
"As the discourse just gets more and more horrifying in the United States, it bothers me more and more that our second tallest building in this city has his name attached to it," he told CBC.
"As a city planner that was involved with the building, it has always grated on me that this elegant Vancouver building, designed by Arthur Erikson ... that Trump's name has been ... Scotch-taped to the building."
Vancouver councillor Kerry Jang told REW.ca’s sister publication Business in Vancouver that he agrees and has sent a message this morning to Joo Kim Tiah, CEO of developer Holborn Group, asking him to consider the message the Trump brand sends.
Jang said, "When I heard the news this morning, the first thing I thought was we have this damn Trump tower going in. It's like a beacon of racism."
The 63-storey Trump International Hotel and Tower at West Georgia Street will be one of the tallest in the city when it is completed.
UPDATE: Joo Kim Tiah, CEO of Holborn, told Business in Vancouver December 9 the company "is not in any way involved in US politics."
"As such, we would not comment further on Mr. Trump's personal agenda, nor any political issues, local or foreign," Tiah said.
"Our efforts remain focused on the construction of what will soon be the finest luxury property in Vancouver and beyond."
