Braydon Mazurkiewich (LINKEDIN)
The former youth president of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative Party has issued a public apology since making racist comments toward aboriginals on Facebook last week.
In an e-mail to ChrisD.ca on Wednesday evening, Braydon Mazurkiewich apologized to the PC Party itself, as well as aboriginals.
His statement reads:
To whom this may concern:
December 14th I made a statement that does not reflect my view on all aboriginal people.
First I would like to apologize to the PC Party of Manitoba for the negative media they’ve been receiving over the past few days, this is not at all PC party attitude or policy, my misguided comments were my own.
Secondly I’d like to apologize to all aboriginal people who work hard and pay taxes and help make this country a better place.
Yours truly,
Braydon Mazurkiewich
Mazurkiewich wrote on his Facebook page that the abandoned land of the former Kapyong Barracks in southwest Winnipeg was “built for hardworking men and women of the military, not freeloading Indians.”
The 24-year-old was reacting to the federal government’s ruling that could potentially see the former military base turned into an urban reserve.
Mazurkiewich has since resigned from his position. Asked why he chose to issue an apology nearly a week after making the comments, he said he wanted to put the sentiments that he’s a racist to rest.
Meanwhile, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has called on Tory leader Brian Pallister to apologize as well.
UPDATE: In an apparent contradictory move, Mazurkiewich tweeted that he was mentioned on the front page of Wednesday’s Metro Winnipeg newspaper. He then ended the message with the hashtag #sorrynotsorry. He has since deleted the tweet.
