“Cluck, cluck, cluck” comments ruffle feathers in BC Legislature

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Feathers were ruffled in the BC Legislature today over comments from the advanced education minister directed towards a female NDP MLA. The target of the remarks feels behaviour like this may deter women from considering careers in politics.

The New Democrats had been attacking the Liberals over lobbying by post-secondary institutions. NDP Leader John Horgan said schools should be spending their money on students and programs instead. NDP Health critic Judy Darcy rose to ask a question and Andrew Wilkinson said “cluck, cluck, cluck.”

Darcy tells us the comment was insulting to her and a group of students in the gallery watching. She says Wilkinson has also made comments about knitting to female MLAs and she feels there’s a gender issue here. “There’s entirely too much of that that goes on and I think the minister should really think about the example that he’s setting for young people in this province when he makes comments like that.”

Wilkinson complied with the speaker’s request for an apology, but later said the comment was meant to show the NDP they could be doing a better job.

“The opposition is having trouble finding its focus. The NDP are lacking a narrative these days. The newspapers have picked up on this and so we in government do our best to serve the public interest. Part of that process is pointing out where the opposition could pull up its socks and do a better job of holding the government to account.”