Canadian Industry Minister James Moore’s remarks about child poverty set off so much criticism that Monday (December 16) the minister apologized on his website and his Twitter account.
On Sunday, asked about the high level of child poverty in Canada’s Pacific Coast province of British Columbia (the province he was elected in as Member of Parliament) Minister Moore said it was up to provincial authorities and not the federal government to deal with child poverty.
In a response to a reporter’s question about child poverty in the province recorded by Vancouver radio station News 1130 Minister Moore said: “Certainly we want to make sure kids go to school with a full belly, but is that always the government’s job, to be there to serve people their breakfast? Empowering families with more power and resources so they can feed their own children is, I think, a good thing. The government’s – my job to feed my neighbour’s child? I don’t think so.”
When reaction to his statement started building up on Sunday, the Minister initially denied making his comments, and then said they were taken out of context. On Monday he apologized both on his website and on his Twitter account:
@JenWoodroff apologize for being lied about? No.
— James Moore (@JamesMoore_org) December 15, 2013
@pattibacchus Yes. Quite aware. It is a ridiculous story & quote out of context I assure you. @DonDavies
— James Moore (@JamesMoore_org) December 15, 2013
An apology. The cause of fighting poverty is not helped by comments like those I made last week. I am sorry. http://t.co/AgDxaKoyXe
— James Moore (@JamesMoore_org) December 16, 2013
Earlier in his response he said “We’ve never been wealthier as a country then as we are right now.”
Hear his entire comment here.
More information:
News 1130 – Federal minister says child poverty not Ottawa’s problem (plus audio of Minister) – here
CBC News – B.C. has highest child poverty rate in Canada: report – here
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