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Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services
 MACA Minister Henry Zoe apologized for comments he made about Newfoundlanders at the Royal Canadian Legion on May 15. |
In the legislative assembly on Thursday, Zoe apologized for that May 15 outburst.
"I was involved in a verbal altercation with a number of members of the Legion," read Zoe from a prepared statement. "I made statements to members of the Legion that were inappropriate."
It's not clear exactly what Zoe said.
"What I got was that he said something to the effect that, 'there are too many of you blank-blank Newfies here'," said Premier Joe Handley outside the legislative assembly after the apology.
Handley was at the Legion that night, but said he doesn't recall any commotion.
The premier said he was upset by Zoe's behaviour, but doesn't have any plans to remove him from cabinet.
"Mr. Zoe is a very good minister in carrying out his job as the minister of Municipal and Community Affairs," said Handley, adding it wasn't his decision to put him on cabinet.
"That's a decision made by the MLAs. If the rest of the members felt any of us aren't doing our jobs adequately, then it's really up to them, not up to me."
'Just a misunderstanding'
Legion president Lloyd Lush was in the visitors gallery Thursday and said he considers the matter closed.
"It was all just a misunderstanding and it's all taken care of," said Lush. "Mr. Zoe is allowed to the Legion, no problem."
Two MLAs said the premier should have taken stronger action.
"(Zoe's) statement doesn't give me confidence that it won't happen again," said Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee, who along with Hay River North MLA Jane Groenewegen, demanded the premier do more than merely write a letter of reprimand.
"I don't think the public is satisfied with us exchanging letters."
Handley promised that if Zoe or any other cabinet minister were to make any racist or derogatory comments in the future, he would ask the legislative assembly to have that person removed from cabinet.
Under territorial consensus government, it's the MLAs not the premier who select members to enter cabinet.
Zoe refused to speak with the media about the incident.
This isn't the first time Zoe has been in trouble while serving as MLA for the North Slave. Prior to leaving his post in 1994, he was convicted twice for assault, including one count of spousal abuse.
Troubling reports
Handley said the latest incident at the Legion wasn't the only time since Zoe took his seat last November that he has heard troubling reports about him. He said he questioned the minister about his behaviour in Yellowknife bars a couple months ago.
"Since that incident happened, other people have come forward to me and said, 'oh, I saw Mr. Zoe in the Gold Range, and he looked pretty drunk to me, and I saw him in the Elk's, and at Forty Below'," said Handley.
"I can't chase all those things. He's not the only one that goes for a beer every now and again."
