It was a rough start to the day Thursday for mayoral candidate Barb Higgins — a day that ended with her issuing an apology.
After an interview with Breakfast Television’s Mike McCourt, Higgins walked off the set visibly annoyed, with members of ArtsVote feeling the brunt of her frustration.
“Who crapped in everyone’s cornflakes this morning?” Higgins asked a group of about 11 members of the arts advocacy group, according to group members.
“It was so out of left field,” said Alex Middleton, director of ArtsVote.
“There was an uncomfortable silence.”
Middleton said he did not think the comment was directed towards the group at first, until Higgins released a statement apologizing for her comments.
“I also expressed my disappointment to the people of ArtsVote and I summed up with the comment, ‘We are human beings first,’” Higgins said in a media release.
ArtsVote was the group chosen to ask Higgins a series of questions before the interview with McCourt.
“I was blindsided during an interview (with McCourt) that, in a nutshell, was an attack on my character, judgment and leadership capabilities,” said the release. “I was appalled and I said so.”
Middleton said the comment could have been “water under the bridge” had Higgins contacted them directly. A spokesperson for Higgins said the direct apology “is absolutely on her agenda.”
