Woman whose question sparked Brian Jean's 'inappropriate' joke says she's not insulted
David Thurton | CBC News | Posted: September 1, 2016 1:36 PM | Last Updated: September 1, 2016
'He wasn't making a joke about physical violence'
Joan Furber says she is not insulted by Brian Jean's "inappropriate" joke that referenced beating Premier Rachel Notley.
"I don't understand where all this coming from because unless they were in the room they have no idea how it was," said Furber, who maintains she's not a Wildrose supporter.
"It was so taken out of context."
- Alberta Wildrose leader Brian Jean apologizes for comment about beating Notley
- Wildrose leader's 'beat Rachel Notley' joke provokes widespread condemnation
Her question Tuesday at a Wildrose town hall meeting about seniors care in Fort McMurray prompted Jean to respond, "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."
Jean immediately apologized, though his comments elicited laughter and applause from his audience.
Critics accused the Fort McMurray MLA of making light of the violent online threats made against the premier.
However, Furber, the president of Fort McMurray's Golden Years Society, doesn't think Jean said anything wrong.
"No. He wasn't making a joke about physical violence. He was making the comment about beating the drum." Furber said.
"He was saying because Fort McMurray doesn't have a long-term care facility and he was getting tired of beating the drum," Furber said.
She said the back and forth on the issue distracts from Fort McMurray's dire need for long-term housing for seniors.
"There's no more to the story," Furber said, "It's time to put it to bed."
'He must have never meant it'
Furber also attended a meet and greet for businesses and Wildrose caucus members in Fort McMurray Wednesday night.
The event was closed to the media, but outside, attendees disagreed with Jean's comments and applauded him for apologizing soon after he made them.
"It was a negative sentence," said Dogar Mohammad, who lives in Fort McMurray and knew Jean when he was MP.
"He must have never meant it. Brian Jean is very respectful to the ladies. Brian Jean has a very good reputation here."
As for calls that the Wildrose leader should resign, some attendees said that would be a drastic step.
"People can take it very seriously. I would not go to the extent where I would ask him to step down especially after he regretted it," Wildrose party member Zafar Iqbal said.
Bob O'Beirn said Jean should've phrased his words about a long-term care facility in Fort McMurray "a bit better."
However he said that people today are too easily offended.
"I suppose the only arbitrator of whether this can be taken as a joke is Rachel Notley herself and I would really like to hear what she has to say about it and I haven't heard her opinion," O'Beirn said.
Notley commented about the incident for the first time Thursday, saying she was "bemused" when she heard what Jean had said about her. Notley's office said the premier had accepted Jean's apology.