CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Two Liberal cabinet ministers offered apologies Tuesday over a video that showed one of them giving a member of the public the middle finger.
Justice Minister Jordan Brown was the first with an apology for his reaction to Environment Minister Richard Brown’s actions during a Christmas card photo shoot in 2016.
In a video taken of the incident, Jordan Brown can be seen laughing after the environment minister made the gesture to someone who shouted for the Liberals to honour the vote in the electoral reform plebiscite.
During Tuesday’s question period, Jordan Brown acknowledged his reaction wasn’t appropriate.
“Certainly, I recognize that it’s not appropriate any time you’re making that kind of a salute to a constituent and I would apologize for any part that I played in that.”
He also said it was something that was out of character for him and not something he intends to do again.
Related: P.E.I. MLA apologizes for giving middle finger to member of the public
On Tuesday, Opposition Leader James Aylward also asked Premier Wade MacLauchlan if he had seen the video.
MacLauchlan replied that he had not.
Aylward referred to MacLauchlan’s statements made in the house last week about Richard Brown being a man of honour.
The environment minister still hadn’t apologized, Aylward said.
“What’s honourable about that?”
MacLauchlan said Richard Brown took ownership of his actions, which was considered to be an apology and an acknowledgment that it was something he shouldn’t have done.
Later in the day Tuesday, Richard Brown told The Guardian he regretted what he did, he was sorry and if it wasn’t clear from previous comments made in the legislature he apologized for his actions.
