'Communications failure': UCP minister tells reporters to stop asking about essay award
A UCP MLA shook her head in frustration and said "wow" while walking away from a microphone Friday, as the fallout continued over an "abhorrent" essay that her government awarded.
Whitney Issik, minister of environment and parks, twice told reporters to stop asking her questions about the controversy. She is the first UCP minister to make herself available to journalists since the story broke earlier in the week.
"A mistake was made and an error was made, and they've apologized for it," Issik said.
"I think that should be our last question on that issue."
But the inquiries kept coming about the third-place winner in the “Her Vision Inspires” contest, particularly how the government could award such words and if anyone would be demoted because of it.
The essay written by S. Silver has been called sexist and racist for stating that "women are not exactly equal to men." It also asked women to have more children because we should not "import foreigners to replace ourselves."
"Personally, I do not hold any of the beliefs that were expressed in that essay," Issik said.
On Tuesday, the associate minister for the Status of Women, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, apologized for the award, but neither she nor Premier Jason Kenney have made themselves available for questions.
Issik instead wanted reporters to ask her about an economic development initiative she was announcing on the outskirts of Edmonton, but none came until a government staff member stepped to the microphone to ask one.
When the essay contest was launched, Issik was the associate minister for the Status of Women, but said she wasn't aware of what any submission said until the controversy erupted Tuesday.
Issik was asked whether or not Armstrong-Homeniuk and fellow MLA and contest judge Jackie Lovely should resign.
"The two women, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk and Jackie Lovely, have both said unequivocally that it was an error and they have apologized, and to me, that's the end of it," Issik stated.
'LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED'
Meanwhile, a pair of political scientists agreed Friday that there were unanswered questions. They also concurred that the government has not handled the situation well.
"They haven't taken responsibility. In a case like this, you want to put distance between the government and the decision that was made, then the (associate) minister should step down," said Lori Williams from Mount Royal University.
"It's expected that the government would try to set it aside or focus on something else. But there are legitimate questions being asked about a government that's made a decision to give an award to somebody who's written an essay that contains very sexist and racist remarks."
Williams called the UCP's reaction to the outrage a "communications failure" for not making the people responsible available to take questions from journalists.
Political scientist Lisa Young agreed, saying the government is "extending the pain" of a mistake by simply emailing apologies and hoping to move on.
"If the government is committed to women's equality, then presumably the premier would remove (Armstrong-Homeniuk) from this role, but he's made it fairly clear that he's not going to. So we're left with this situation," she said.
Young added that the government was not immediately forthcoming on details like who judged the contest and how many entries there were, which she believes also made people angrier.
"Government can't simply pick and choose the questions that it wants to answer," Young said. "Government should expect journalists to do their jobs, which is to try to understand what happened."
Issik suggested Friday that reporters ask questions of speaker Nathan Cooper, but in a statement to CTV News Edmonton he pointed out that his office posted the awards but did not judge them. He called the essay "abhorrent" and said he had it removed from a government website.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.