From Thomas Lukaszuk's Facebook page:
"Fairmont in Hot Springs has a good deal on rooms today. If a little bit of mud doesn't bother you, book now!!!"
Totally tactless but when one looks at the record of our deputy premier it should not be unexpected, but I am sure the 600 people that were trapped in Fairmont do appreciate the humour.
NOT!
Stay classy Deputy Premier; you are supposed to be representing all of us.
Related:
2 dead and 2 still missing in BC mudslide.
Update/mea culpa : It has been pointed out in the comments that my title may have been misleading, and I can see how that may be true; Lukaszuk was making a joke about Fairmont and not Johnsons Landing, not that it makes the joke anymore acceptable, and I should have been more clear.
Making fun of tragedy is NEVER funny.
Afternoon update
The Premiers office responds: "The Facebook post in question has been removed," according to the premier's office. "There was no disrespect whatsoever intended and the deputy premier doesn't find the risk of human life or the tragedy that's going on there a joking matter."
Lukaszuk's Twitter apology: "Sorry for my FB post. I'm out of Canada and was not aware of the scope of the situation in BC. I removed the post.
Good on him for the apology but I am having some trouble with his explanation (why is there always an explanation and not just a straight forward "I'm sorry"?) as his claim that he was not aware of the scope of the situation sort of rings untrue when you consider that the picture he used for his Facebook post was taken from a CBC news article on the mudslide.
Oh well, at least we got the apology out of him. It is a start.
More related links:
http://www.openfile.ca/calgary/blog/2012/deputy-premier-cracks-mudslide-joke-facebook-then-removes-it
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/Lukaszuk+apologizes+Facebook+post+about+landslides/6948486/story.html?cid=dlvr.it-twitter-ej_politics
http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/300943/deputy-premier-thomas-lukaszuk-takes-heat-for-b-c-landslide-jokes-on-facebook/
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/deputy+premier+under+fire+for+controversial+facebook+post/6442680953/story.html
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/now+trending+lukaszuks+facebook+comment+sparks+criticism/6442680951/story.html
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.ca/2012/07/landslide-jokes-like-jokes-about.html (you know it has been a crazy day when BCL links to a Blogging Tory! BTW: Thanks BCL for the http://www.nationalnewswatch.com
link.
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/020777.html
