Post by Dean Robinson on Jul 29, 2007 11:45:23 GMT -5
Kinsella to stay despite 'unfortunate' comment
www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/240004
Jul 26, 2007 04:30 AM
Rob Ferguson
Queen's Park Bureau
Critics are accusing Premier Dalton McGuinty of a double standard for refusing to apologize after top campaign adviser Warren Kinsella made a sexist suggestion about a female MPP "baking cookies."
McGuinty, who quickly apologized last week to a provincial government job applicant dubbed "ghetto dude" by a junior civil service clerk, said he will continue to accept Kinsella's counsel despite the "unfortunate" remarks.
"He's apologized for those comments and I think that ends the matter," McGuinty said yesterday, noting that the remarks were made on Kinsella's personal blog and later withdrawn.
But opposition politicians weren't about to let McGuinty off the hook for the posting, which pictured Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton) at a rally with party leader John Tory and candidate Randy Hillier.
A word bubble over MacLeod's head in the photo said: "I very much wish I was somewhere else at this very moment. Baking cookies, perhaps. Oh my."
New Democrat MPP Paul Ferreira said McGuinty's rationale for not apologizing doesn't wash.
"Everyone knows that Mr. Kinsella is extremely well connected to this premier and this government. I find it dubious to simply pass it off as a personal blog," he said.
Kinsella sent a personal apology to MacLeod yesterday after posting a further mea culpa on his blog, calling the remarks a "puerile and sophomoric attempt at humour ... I should know better."
MacLeod said McGuinty's refusal to apologize for a remark that suggests a woman's place is in the home leaves him in a "credibility gap," given his talk about getting more women elected in the Oct. 10 provincial vote.
www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/240004
Jul 26, 2007 04:30 AM
Rob Ferguson
Queen's Park Bureau
Critics are accusing Premier Dalton McGuinty of a double standard for refusing to apologize after top campaign adviser Warren Kinsella made a sexist suggestion about a female MPP "baking cookies."
McGuinty, who quickly apologized last week to a provincial government job applicant dubbed "ghetto dude" by a junior civil service clerk, said he will continue to accept Kinsella's counsel despite the "unfortunate" remarks.
"He's apologized for those comments and I think that ends the matter," McGuinty said yesterday, noting that the remarks were made on Kinsella's personal blog and later withdrawn.
But opposition politicians weren't about to let McGuinty off the hook for the posting, which pictured Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton) at a rally with party leader John Tory and candidate Randy Hillier.
A word bubble over MacLeod's head in the photo said: "I very much wish I was somewhere else at this very moment. Baking cookies, perhaps. Oh my."
New Democrat MPP Paul Ferreira said McGuinty's rationale for not apologizing doesn't wash.
"Everyone knows that Mr. Kinsella is extremely well connected to this premier and this government. I find it dubious to simply pass it off as a personal blog," he said.
Kinsella sent a personal apology to MacLeod yesterday after posting a further mea culpa on his blog, calling the remarks a "puerile and sophomoric attempt at humour ... I should know better."
MacLeod said McGuinty's refusal to apologize for a remark that suggests a woman's place is in the home leaves him in a "credibility gap," given his talk about getting more women elected in the Oct. 10 provincial vote.