One of Canada’s Olympic heroes is criticizing Alberta’s Opposition leader for comments about physically assaulting Premier Rachel Notley.
Jen Kish said those types of comments from Wildrose Leader Brian Jean “drive me nuts.”
“We want the world to grow in the right direction, we want to set a good example for the younger generation and comments like that make us go backwards,” Kish said.
“For someone of that status to make a comment like that, it doesn’t bode well with me and I’m sure it doesn’t with anyone else trying to achieve what we’re trying to achieve today – which is women being successful in a male-dominated world,” she added.
Kish captained the women’s sevens rugby team to a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, and spoke to reporters today after being honoured in a ceremony at the legislature.
Before the ceremony, she met with Premier Notley and Status of Women Minister Stephanie McLean who congratulated her on her accomplishments.
“Whether it’s serious or a joke, it’s totally out of touch with what Albertans want to see from their leaders, and they want to see strong leadership and that’s just not it,” McLean said.
READ MORE: Raising an Olympian: How a single dad helped daughter Jen Kish reach the podium
Jean has apologized for the comments he made Tuesday night at an event in Fort McMurray.
READ MORE: Wildrose leader Brian Jean chastised for joke about beating Premier Notley
According to a local reporter at the meeting, Jean said, “I’ve been beating this drum for 10, 11 years. I will continue to beat it, I promise. But it’s against the law to beat Rachel Notley.”
The comments were made at a town hall when local seniors advocate Joan Furber complained about the quality of seniors’ care and housing in the city during a question and answer period.
Premier Notley has also been the subject of violent online threats on social media. During the public uproar of her government’s introduction of farm safety legislation last year, she even received death threats. One comment posted online said, “someone’s gotta man up and kill her, dibs out.”
At the time, Jean, who was outspoken in his opposition to Bill 6, condemned the violent social media comments.
-With files from Karen Bartko and Phil Heidenreich.
Watch below: Tess Gordey and Mary Anne Nguyen from WIN House joined Global News Morning, where they offered their opinion on a joke made by Wildrose leader Brian Jean about beating Premier Rachel Notley.
Watch below: Wildrose leader Brian Jean was being criticized heavily on social media after his comment about beating Premier Rachel Notley. Jean has since apologized for what he calls “an inappropriate attempt at humour.” Slav Kornik reports on this story.
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