Toronto is getting its second apology from a politician in two weeks after Economic Development and Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello suggested the city’s residents weren’t handling a garbage strike as well people in her Windsor riding.
“Earlier today I made an off-the-cuff remark comparing the 10-week-old strike affecting garbage pickup in my hometown of Windsor with the current strike in Toronto,” Pupatello said in a statement.
“I apologize for my comment. In both communities, people and businesses are being inconvenienced.”
“I urge both sides, in Windsor and Toronto, to keep working at the negotiating table to resolve their issues quickly.”
Pupatello said earlier yesterday people in her city seemed to be coping better with their weeks-old garbage strike, and back-to-work legislation hasn’t yet been considered.
“We’ve not been approached at home by either the city or CUPE, frankly, to do this, and I think that the residents of Windsor are actually coping very well and they’re being extremely patient,” Pupatello said.
In an off-the-cuff remark after leaving the podium, she later jokingly referred to Toronto residents as “babies.”
