Progressives and the hell of good intentions

Who would have thunk the Canadian 'Human Rights' Commission was behind the destruction of Africville and the destruction of other communities around Canada. But then these types always think they know what's best for the rest of us, no? Here's an interesting article from the Chronicle Herald (h/t Blazing Cat Fur.)

Progressive isn’t a word that’s usually associated with the destruction of
Africville. But some of the people who advocated its destruction had the
best of intentions, according to sociologist Donald Clairmont.

"In North America, the major trend (in the 1960s) throughout the whole society was this urban renewal thing," said Clairmont, a Dalhousie University professor who has written reports and books on the black community that existed for more than 100 years on Bedford Basin’s shores.

Native people in the North were being moved into places like Iqaluit, Nunavut, and Newfoundlanders were relocated from the outports.

In Halifax, the removal of what was considered urban "blight" was
also well underway in the ’60s, Clairmont said in an interview Thursday.

When it came to Africville, "the major players . . . were all into
progressive causes."

Those players included local politicians, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, he said.

The rationale was that the residents would be better off in better housing with sewer and water services.

"Unfortunately, people who had those positions, even if they were well-intentioned, they were unduly optimistic what the renewal would be," Clairmont said in an interview Thursday.

Some residents were moved into substandard housing or into residences they couldn’t afford.