Liberal MP Garth Turner hasn't apologized on his website for a controversial blog he posted about Quebec sovereigntists -- despite being "chewed out" for the remarks by Liberal Leader Stephane Dion.
Turner came under fire Friday after some readers objected to a blog he posted calling sovereigntists "self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing separatist losers."
Turner's blog has infuriated his political opponents. Action democratique du Quebec Leader Mario Dumont said he was "bowled over" by the remarks.
NDP Leader Jack Layton declared, "The Liberal leader must impose sanctions for these shocking comments which are insulting to Quebecers."
On Saturday, Environment Minister John Baird said the remarks highlighted a "hornet's nest of past unity problems."
Even Dion "chewed me out," Turner wrote on his website.
"Everyone I have heard from tells me this was a mistake," Turner wrote.
"Quebecers tell me they consider such words racist."
Turner admitted in his latest blog his words may have clouded his message. His point, he said, was that Dion has "the stones" to stand up to Albertans who put oil above the environment. He said Dion proved his toughness when he stood up to separatist Quebecers in the 1990s.
"My attempt to show the Liberal leader has the stones to face down those who think of themselves first, and the country second -- no matter where they hail from -- succeeded only in making his task more difficult. That was not my intention. Nor do I have anything but respect for my fellow citizens in Quebec and Alberta," Turner wrote on his blog Friday night.
Dion said late Friday that Turner retracted the statement. However, on his latest blog -- still posted on his website Saturday evening --Turner wrote: "There's no way I, as a federal member of the Canadian House of Commons, am going to lay down before people who openly advocate ripping the country apart. Moan all you want ... but don't expect me to roll."
Turner told CTV Newsnet that he had no intention of removing the comments.
"I said them and it would be intellectually dishonest to take them off. They're there, and people can see them in the context in which I said them," he said Saturday.
"I did clarify my comments last night and added why I happened to say that and what my intentions were. And I also said that if I made the job more difficult for my leader, then I apologize for that."
