MLA makes apology for blog — again
Holodomor piece reprinted in rural newspaper
A 488-word article on Page 3 of a small rural Alberta newspaper has led to a second apology from Wildrose MLA Rick Strankman.
Strankman, member for Drumheller-Stettler, was one of nine MLAs who signed a blog post comparing Alberta’s carbon tax to the Holodomor.
The original June 2 post said it was a lack of work ethic caused by socialist ideals that resulted in the starvation of millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s. Ukraine and more
I want to again express deepest apologies to the Ukrainian community and all Albertans for its publication.
than a dozen countries recognize the man-made famine as an act of genocide carried out by the Soviet Union.
A social media outcry led to the column being pulled and, four days later, fellow Wildroser David Hanson read an apology on the floor of the legislature on behalf of all signatories to the post.
The controversial article was printed in the June 14 edition of the Oyen Echo, a weekly newspaper in Strankman’s constituency.
The Echo requires letters to be submitted a week before they appear in print — five days at the very latest — yet Strankman’s letter appeared 12 days after his original blog post was pulled.
In an emailed statement Tuesday, Strankman said he submitted the letter for consideration to multiple rural newspapers May 29, and put the publication down to “a miscommunication.”
Strankman said he has endeavoured to issue further retractions. There’s no word on why he didn’t contact the paper to have the letter pulled before it hit the presses, but a Wildrose spokeswoman said that responsibility was left up to his local staff.
“I want to again express deepest apologies to the Ukrainian community and all Albertans for its publication and for any unintended inferences,” he wrote.
In a news release, the NDP called on Wildrose Leader Brian Jean to take action against Strankman.