WINNIPEG – A Manitoba government backbencher is apologizing after calling asylum seekers a “drain on society” on Twitter and for retweeting posts that suggested Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was a “scumbag.”
Cliff Graydon posted a message late Tuesday saying he is undergoing sensitivity training and taking a break from social media after coming under fire for the posts.
“Above all political debates must be respected,” he posted. “This is a standard that I’ve not met on social media, as a result I will be taking some sensitivity training while limiting social media activity. I wish to offer my sincere and unequivocal apology for any offensive (sic) I’ve made.”
In a tweet posted at the end of January, Graydon replied to a tweet where a woman called asylum seekers “illegals” and called them a “drain on society.”
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Graydon represents the town of Emerson on the United States border where many asylum seekers have crossed into Canada.
Last week, he retweeted a post which called Trudeau “a disgrace” with the hashtag “scumbag.” An earlier retweet from December 2017 referred to “turdeau” and questioned “How can any woman vote for that SICK/RETARDED/TRAITOR?”
The Progressive Conservative caucus issued a short statement saying it had been made aware of “some unacceptable comments made or retweeted by Mr. Graydon.”
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“These tweets do not reflect the views our caucus and our government,” caucus chair Wayne Ewasko wrote.
A party spokesperson said the caucus leadership and Graydon agreed he should “step back” from social media and take some sensitivity training.
In a tweet posted at the end of January, Graydon replied to a tweet about “illegal” asylum seekers and called them a drain on society.
Graydon represents the town of Emerson on the United States border where many asylum seekers have crossed into Canada.
The Progressive Conservative caucus issued a statement saying Graydon’s tweets do not reflect the views of the caucus or the government.
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