Thursday, February 28, 2013

Calling on Premier Clark: Remove Bully Krueger from BC Liberal Caucus

Jon Ferry: Is Pink Shirt Day doing more harm than good in battling bullying?

In 2008, Premier Christy Clark, then a CKNW radio host, promoted Pink Shirt Day with her son Hamish, then 6, and three friends. Clark helped establish the B.C. program. ian lindsay/PNG files

Photograph by: ian lindsay , Vancouver Sun

- See more at: http://www.theprovince.com/life/Ferry+Pink+Shirt+doing+more+harm+than+good+battling/8020667/story.html#sthash.H95zo8Bg.dpuf
                                           Ian Lindsay, Vancouver Sun, 2008

Premier Clark, it is time to remove Kruger from your caucus. Don't dare pretend you are jumping on the Pink Shirt, anti-bullying band wagon while you have this kind of bullying creature hanging around. He is a disgrace to politicians everywhere, but most especially to BC Liberals, most of whom I think must be disgusted and fed up that you would keep such a person  in your caucus. 

People are looking for strong, decisive leadership from you, Premier Clark. If you know what's right and decent you will turf this guy out of your caucus and people might believe you have what it takes to be a real leader. If you don't, you look like nothing more than a hypocrite and someone who openly supports bullies in your own flock. Talking a good game is no longer enough, you have to walk your talk, because it is action that means something to voters, they've heard enough empty words out of your mouth.

Krueger won't apologize for insults

Conservative opponent Peter Sharp calls for apology after MLA calls Tories 'unmitigated morons' Political peers believe outspoken Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger went too far when he referred to B.C. Conservatives as "unmitigated morons" and "scum."

Peter Sharp, the Conservatives' candidate in Kamloops-South, called Krueger a bully Wednesday and demanded he apologize for his comments.

"It was wrong for him to say what he said in the way he said it. He came across as a bully," Sharp told The Daily News.

But Krueger has no intention of apologizing, saying he was standing up for a friend and colleague who was mistreated.

"That's been my reputation all my life," said Krueger.

Krueger fired off an email to the B.C. Conservative Party Tuesday afternoon when a Tory press release called Jobs Minister Pat Bell an "unmitigated disaster."

The press release stated Bell should be suspended over allegations he interfered in a bidding process.

Krueger's response was "Pat Bell is beloved in Prince George, for good reason. There is not one of you scum worthy to tie his shoes — nor tall enough."

He closed by saying, "What idiots you are."

The allegations against Bell are from two B.C. Liberal insiders who claim he acted in bad faith during the bid process for a multimillion-dollar government contract, reported the Vancouver Sun.

Questions have been raised about Bell in connection with the Prince George-based Wood Innovation and Design Centre.

Sharp said Krueger's language is unacceptable for an MLA and insulting to the both the B.C. Conservatives and his constituents.

He wondered what Krueger was thinking when he sent the email in the first place.
"When you're using the official government email address, and using your name and saying you're Kevin Krueger, MLA, what do you expect?" he said.

"I know Kevin, and I know he can be loud and boisterous, but I've always respected him because of his position and I think he did a lot of good things in his time. But that doesn't mean, because he's retiring from politics, that he's going out in a blaze of glory."

Krueger admitted he used stronger language than normal, but doesn't appreciate the attack on Bell, who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of aneurysm.

"I reacted really strongly," he said, adding Cummins' ambition to be premier shouldn't cause him to stoop to such attacks.

"Pat Bell in an extremely honourable man."

And Krueger is confident his actions won't hurt his intended successor in Kamloops-South Thompson Liberal candidate Todd Stone.

"Todd Stone doesn't carry any responsibility for the language I choose," he said.
Stone couldn't be reached for comment, but others running for the riding seat had more than a few words to say about Krueger.

Kamloops-South Thompson New Democrat Tom Friedman said Krueger's remarks are a prime example of the hyper partisanship he expects from the Liberals.

"What we've pledged to do is discuss the issues and make sure we're respectful of each other," he said. "What we've seen from Kevin Krueger is not a good sign for a very positive campaign."

Kathy Kendall, Friedman's Kamloops-North Thompson counterpart, agreed. She said statements like Krueger's turn people off politics.

"It's clearly, clearly inappropriate," she said. "When people hear something like that . . . it turns people off and it's why we have to take a different approach."

*********************

By Jon Ferry, The Province February 27, 2013

Premier Christy Clark, who helped set up Pink Shirt Day in B.C. in 2008 when she was a hard-charging CKNW radio host, defends it as a day around which people can organize anti-bullying efforts. 

PREMIER DEFENDS ATTACK ADS

Now some people, especially NDP supporters, would say the attack ads that B.C. Liberal supporters have been running against NDP Leader Adrian Dix amount to bullying.

The premier is obviously not one of them.

She pointed out that, according to experts, bullying is a “persistent effort to harm another person that gives the perpetrator pleasure.”

But aren’t the Liberals getting pleasure out of persistently harming Dix?

“Well, the B.C. Liberals aren’t doing that, Jon. I mean, I think you need to be really clear in your story about that, that we are not running those ads,” Clark said.

But she could stop them, couldn’t she? “No,” she insisted.

PREMIER DEFENDS ATTACK ADS
Now some people, especially NDP supporters, would say the attack ads that B.C. Liberal supporters have been running against NDP Leader Adrian Dix amount to bullying.
The premier is obviously not one of them.
She pointed out that, according to experts, bullying is a “persistent effort to harm another person that gives the perpetrator pleasure.”
But aren’t the Liberals getting pleasure out of persistently harming Dix?
“Well, the B.C. Liberals aren’t doing that, Jon. I mean, I think you need to be really clear in your story about that, that we are not running those ads,” Clark said.
But she could stop them, couldn’t she? “No,” she insisted.
- See more at: http://www.theprovince.com/life/Ferry+Pink+Shirt+doing+more+harm+than+good+battling/8020667/story.html#sthash.H95zo8Bg.dpuf
Krueger not apologizing for "scum", "moron" comments
VICTORIA/CKNW (AM980)
Sean Leslie | Email news tips to Sean
2/27/2013

He's not apologizing, but he wishes he used different words.

That from Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger today after firing off an e-mail to the BC Conservative Party yesterday calling them "scum" and "morons".
"Well I hardly ever use language like that...and in retrospect...sat down at their computer...read it, and pounded out that rebuke...but I didn't intend it to be public."
Fellow liberal MLA Bill Bennett was asked if Krueger went too far.
"Well I haven't read his email so I don't know everything that he said....I would agree with him on the moron comment."
REPORTER: "haven't you been trying to reach out to Conservatives?   how does that help with that effort?"
"Well I think we're past trying to reach out, I don't think there's many of 'em left."
But Liberal caucus chair Gordon Hogg is not happy with Krueger's comments and says the issue "may" be discussed in caucus.
Krueger is not running for re-election.
- See more at: http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx/story.aspx?ID=1899792#sthash.mLnBC6q1.dp
Krueger not apologizing for "scum", "moron" comments
VICTORIA/CKNW (AM980)
Sean Leslie | Email news tips to Sean
2/27/2013

He's not apologizing, but he wishes he used different words.

That from Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger today after firing off an e-mail to the BC Conservative Party yesterday calling them "scum" and "morons".
"Well I hardly ever use language like that...and in retrospect...sat down at their computer...read it, and pounded out that rebuke...but I didn't intend it to be public."
Fellow liberal MLA Bill Bennett was asked if Krueger went too far.
"Well I haven't read his email so I don't know everything that he said....I would agree with him on the moron comment."
REPORTER: "haven't you been trying to reach out to Conservatives?   how does that help with that effort?"
"Well I think we're past trying to reach out, I don't think there's many of 'em left."
But Liberal caucus chair Gordon Hogg is not happy with Krueger's comments and says the issue "may" be discussed in caucus.
Krueger is not running for re-election.
- See more at: http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx/story.aspx?ID=1899792#sthash.mLnBC6q1.dpuf
Krueger not apologizing for "scum", "moron" comments
VICTORIA/CKNW (AM980)
Sean Leslie | Email news tips to Sean
2/27/2013

He's not apologizing, but he wishes he used different words.

That from Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger today after firing off an e-mail to the BC Conservative Party yesterday calling them "scum" and "morons".
"Well I hardly ever use language like that...and in retrospect...sat down at their computer...read it, and pounded out that rebuke...but I didn't intend it to be public."
Fellow liberal MLA Bill Bennett was asked if Krueger went too far.
"Well I haven't read his email so I don't know everything that he said....I would agree with him on the moron comment."
REPORTER: "haven't you been trying to reach out to Conservatives?   how does that help with that effort?"
"Well I think we're past trying to reach out, I don't think there's many of 'em left."
But Liberal caucus chair Gordon Hogg is not happy with Krueger's comments and says the issue "may" be discussed in caucus.
Krueger is not running for re-election.
- See more at: http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx/story.aspx?ID=1899792#sthash.mLnBC6q1.dpuf
Krueger not apologizing for "scum", "moron" comments
VICTORIA/CKNW (AM980)
Sean Leslie | Email news tips to Sean
2/27/2013

He's not apologizing, but he wishes he used different words.

That from Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger today after firing off an e-mail to the BC Conservative Party yesterday calling them "scum" and "morons".
"Well I hardly ever use language like that...and in retrospect...sat down at their computer...read it, and pounded out that rebuke...but I didn't intend it to be public."
Fellow liberal MLA Bill Bennett was asked if Krueger went too far.
"Well I haven't read his email so I don't know everything that he said....I would agree with him on the moron comment."
REPORTER: "haven't you been trying to reach out to Conservatives?   how does that help with that effort?"
"Well I think we're past trying to reach out, I don't think there's many of 'em left."
But Liberal caucus chair Gordon Hogg is not happy with Krueger's comments and says the issue "may" be discussed in caucus.
Krueger is not running for re-election.
- See more at: http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx/story.aspx?ID=1899792#sthash.mLnBC6q1.dpuf

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Children bullying children is bad enough BUT what do you do when it is a teacher (with a lot of seniority with her union) in a small rural community bullying not only the kids in her class (which kids with special needs are her favorite targets)but also co-workers.