Wildrose Leader Brian Jean jokes about physically beating Rachel Notley
Posted Aug 31, 2016 7:38 am.
Last Updated Aug 31, 2016 9:07 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Premier Rachel Notley has found herself the target of another public threat, but this time it came from a fellow politician.
At a town hall meeting in Fort McMurray Tuesday night, Wildrose leader Brian Jean made a joke about him continuing to beat the drum for better seniors care.
“I’ve been beating this drum for 10, 11, 12 years now, so I will continue to beat it, I promise. But it’s against the law to beat Rachel Notley,” he said.
The comment drew laughter and claps from the Jean-friendly crowd, which had several MLAs in attendance, but there were some who gasped in shock.
Jean made the comment after a local seniors advocate complained about the quality of seniors’ care and housing in the city during a question and answer period.
Minutes later, realizing he shouldn’t have said what he did, Jean seemed to offer what could be considered an apology for his comments.
He insisted that Notley cares about seniors care and has worked with him on the issue, adding she’s done well to reverse bureaucratic decisions made by the PCs and admitted he shouldn’t have said what he said because he admires her for that.
Jean then lead the room in applause for Notley’s actions but according to reporters who there, not many joined in.
In a statement, Jean says he has reached out to Notley and apologized.
“Last night during my town hall I made an inappropriate attempt at humour that I promptly apologized for. Jokes of this nature are never acceptable, and I hold myself to a higher standard. I have reached out to Premier Notley to sincerely apologize directly to her.”
There has been no official comment from Notley or the NDP.
The premier has been subjected to violent threats and images before with a golf tournament pasting her face on a large piece of cardboard to be used as target, for example.
Many say these are just more examples of the violence female politicians are subjected to.
