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TORONTO
- Bob Runciman, the
leader of the Official
Opposition in the
Ontario Legislature, has
demonstrated by his
recent comments on
aboriginal funding that
he is no longer fit to
either lead his party or
represent his
constituents, OPSEU
President Warren
(Smokey) Thomas declared
today.
“The
leader of the official
opposition is simply
incapable of grasping
why his comments are
more than just
offensive,” Thomas said,
“they are indicative of
a way of thinking all
Ontarians, regardless of
their political
affiliations, hope
belongs to the past and
not the present. They
speak to the regrettable
legacy of the Harris
years, the darkest, most
shameful period in
recent memory for our
government’s relations
with our aboriginal
peoples. Runciman should
do the right thing and
resign.”
Thomas
was responding to
Runciman’s comments on
Tuesday’s Liberal
budget, which announced
$55 million for the
aboriginal affairs
ministry. The amount
comes close to doubling
the funding from the
previous year, as the
government pledged to
build a new relationship
with First Nations in
the province.
Runciman
declared the new funding
will do little but
create more public
sector jobs. “It’s a lot
of smoke signals and
mirrors … the reality is
that a lot of that money
is going to be moved in
the direction of
creating a bureaucracy
and generating $100,000
plus salaries.”
Aboriginal Affairs
Minister Michael Bryant
demanded an apology,
stating that Runciman
was clearly perpetuating
a negative and demeaning
stereotype of aboriginal
people, but Thomas said
the apology would do
little to curb this
racist rhetoric in the
future.
“It is a
perspective problem,
ultimately,” Thomas
added. “This is the same
elected representative
who deemed it fit to
utter the worst kind of
sexist language when
Belinda Stronach crossed
the floor. Is it any
surprise that he would
consider what he said an
attempt at humour?
Runciman never got the
memo about Ontario
living in the 21st
century when he was
tasked with the
portfolio that included
policing, public safety
and corrections. Our
members are still
struggling with the
institutional memory
from an era that tacitly
condoned racist and
sexist stereotyping.
They heard it from the
very top, after all.”
Thomas,
who has recently
returned from a tour of
South African AIDS/HIV
projects, trade unions
and community
organizations, also
added that his trip has
only further emboldened
him to not just speak up
but take proactive steps
to eliminate the
barriers to true equity
in the workplace for
OPSEU members. “When you
see how much change
really is possible, it
is truly inspiring. I’ve
been blessed with a
chance to lead on this
front and believe me;
I’m going to take it.” |
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For more information:
David Cox, Randy Robinson or Don Ford, OPSEU Communications, 1-800-268-7376
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