Glen Murray owes vets apology for climate change analogy: PCs
By Shawn Jeffords, Political Bureau Chief
First posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 05:13 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 08:11 PM EDT
TORONTO - Progressive Conservative house leader Jim Wilson is demanding Environment Minister Glen Murray apologize for repeatedly comparing the sacrifice of veterans during the Second World War to the battle against climate change.
Wilson, in a letter to Liberal house leader Yasir Naqvi on Tuesday, said Murray’s remarks are “insensitive and disrespectful.” He wants Murray to say he’s sorry to veterans and their families.
“The outrageous comparison is disrespectful to the brave members of the Canadian Forces who stormed the beaches and fought for our freedom,” Wilson said in the letter. “Millions of families were impacted by military and civilian deaths and it is particularly hurtful to the families of the six million Jewish people who were victims of the Holocaust.”
Wilson’s letter quoted remarks Murray made during a morning session at Queen’s Park earlier Tuesday.
Murray apparently quoted his mother, who told him this generation will “have to take on a much bigger threat than the Second World War.”
Wilson’s letter also quoted remarks from a Globe and Mail story on April 28 that Murray made during a speech.
“Our grandparents had to send their kids off to die in Dieppe and the beaches of Normandy to save a generation,” Murray said. “To save our planet, we’re being asked to ride our bicycles, to drive an electric vehicle, to accept money from government.”
Wilson says Murray’s remarks Tuesday were made on the same day a trio of Second World War veterans visited Queen’s Park to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic.
Asked by the Toronto Sun if he intended to apologize, Murray said his point wasn’t to diminish the service of veterans. Climate change is a serious problem and leadership, like that delivered during the Second World War, is what it will take to address it, he said.
“We need the leadership of a Roosevelt,” he said. “We need the leadership of a Churchill. This is time to raise things above petty politics and to unite and challenge risks and threats we have never challenged before.”
Murray said his partner served in the Canadian Armed Forces for many years and praised the courage it requires.
He accused the Tories of failing to show leadership on the issue at both the federal and provincial levels for a decade.
sjeffords@postmedia.com
Glen Murray owes vets apology for climate change analogy: PCs | Ontario | News |
By Shawn Jeffords, Political Bureau Chief
First posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 05:13 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 08:11 PM EDT
TORONTO - Progressive Conservative house leader Jim Wilson is demanding Environment Minister Glen Murray apologize for repeatedly comparing the sacrifice of veterans during the Second World War to the battle against climate change.
Wilson, in a letter to Liberal house leader Yasir Naqvi on Tuesday, said Murray’s remarks are “insensitive and disrespectful.” He wants Murray to say he’s sorry to veterans and their families.
“The outrageous comparison is disrespectful to the brave members of the Canadian Forces who stormed the beaches and fought for our freedom,” Wilson said in the letter. “Millions of families were impacted by military and civilian deaths and it is particularly hurtful to the families of the six million Jewish people who were victims of the Holocaust.”
Wilson’s letter quoted remarks Murray made during a morning session at Queen’s Park earlier Tuesday.
Murray apparently quoted his mother, who told him this generation will “have to take on a much bigger threat than the Second World War.”
Wilson’s letter also quoted remarks from a Globe and Mail story on April 28 that Murray made during a speech.
“Our grandparents had to send their kids off to die in Dieppe and the beaches of Normandy to save a generation,” Murray said. “To save our planet, we’re being asked to ride our bicycles, to drive an electric vehicle, to accept money from government.”
Wilson says Murray’s remarks Tuesday were made on the same day a trio of Second World War veterans visited Queen’s Park to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic.
Asked by the Toronto Sun if he intended to apologize, Murray said his point wasn’t to diminish the service of veterans. Climate change is a serious problem and leadership, like that delivered during the Second World War, is what it will take to address it, he said.
“We need the leadership of a Roosevelt,” he said. “We need the leadership of a Churchill. This is time to raise things above petty politics and to unite and challenge risks and threats we have never challenged before.”
Murray said his partner served in the Canadian Armed Forces for many years and praised the courage it requires.
He accused the Tories of failing to show leadership on the issue at both the federal and provincial levels for a decade.
sjeffords@postmedia.com
Glen Murray owes vets apology for climate change analogy: PCs | Ontario | News |
