The Conservatives were forced to issue their second apology in two days on Thursday after video surfaced of an aide to Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon making offensive remarks to a native protester. The news came as a distraction from the other big story of the day -- fallout over Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz's controversial remarks about the Listeria outbreak. Cannon was officially opening his campaign office in Maniwaki, Que. on Thursday when protestors from the Barriere Lake community arrived to make their demands known to Cannon. Cannon heard out the group, according to a report from the Globe and Mail, then went on his way. However, one of his assistants Darlene Lannigan continued to speak with Norman Matchewan, the 25-year-old man leading the protestors.
In an audio clip from the Aboriginal People's Television Network, Matchewan asks if he would be arrested if he came to Cannon's office. "If you behave, and you're sober, and there's no problems, and if you don't do a sit down and whatever I don't care. One of them showed up the other day and was drinking," Lannigan can be heard saying in the clip. "Are you calling me an alcoholic?" asks Matchewan "I'm not calling you an alcoholic it's just to say you're in a federal office. If you're coming in to negotiate, I expect, there's decorum that has to be respected."
A statement from Cannon's director of communications Catherine Loubier sent to CTV.ca stated that the comments did not reflect the views of the Government of Canada. "We would like to take this opportunity to apologize for an offence given," Loubier said in the statement. "We also understand these comments were made in a difficult context. That is regrettable. The good news is the parties have agreed to meet later this week in a spirit of collaboration." Matchewan spoke with CTV Newsnet on Thursday afternoon from Barriere Lake. The part-time police officer and schoolteacher said the apology issued by Cannon's office was "not good enough." "I was offended...my community is offended (and) they are still upset," said Matchewan. "This goes to show how much they disrespect our communities. "We were there in a peaceful, respectful manner to meet with Mr. Cannon (and) I do not know why she would be such things. That's hurtful, hurtful words for a community." Matchewan released a statement to The Canadian Press on Thursday that condemned Lannigan's remarks, calling them "patronizing and racist" and "another example of the Conservative government's disrespect for our community."
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