David Mcguinty resigns critic post for telling Alberta Tories to ‘go home’

OTTAWA (CP) — Ottawa MP David McGuinty abruptly resigned as the Liberal party’s natural resources critic Wednesday after suggesting Conservative MPs from Alberta are shills for the oil industry and should go home.

His written statement capped a day in which Liberals had been scrambling to contain the damage from his ill-timed remarks, which came just days before a byelection in Calgary, where the Liberals have high hopes for an upset.

“I would like to unreservedly and unequivocally apologize for comments which I made with respect to parliamentary colleagues from the province of Alberta,” said McGuinty, whose brother Dalton is premier of Ontario.

“My words in no way reflect the views of my party or leader and I offer my apology to them, as well as to my colleagues from Alberta.

“I hold all parliamentarians in high esteem and I regret my choice of words, as I can understand the offence they have caused.”

Earlier Wednesday, Rae said McGuinty’s comments were a mistake, frankly admitting they could hurt the party’s byelection chances.

“Obviously, it’s not helpful,” he said following the Liberals’ weekly caucus meeting.

“That’s why I’m saying, unreservedly and without qualification, I apologize. It doesn’t reflect my views, it doesn’t reflect my approach to this issue, it doesn’t reflect the way in which I would address it or describe it, it doesn’t reflect my view of how MPs do their job ... I think it was a mistake.”