St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle's Statement on recent remarks by Regional Councillor Andy Petrowski.
In recent weeks there has been some controversy surrounding remarks made by Regional Councillor Andy Petrowski.
This began with an ignorant, hate-filled tirade on the social media site Twitter and subsequently on local radio station 610 CKTB last week.
I would like to state from the outset that that the remarks made by the regional councillor are categorically unacceptable and are unbecoming to a public office holder.
The remarks made demean and lower the public discourse of Regional Council, the Police Services Board and the City of St. Catharines.
It is for this reason that I felt compelled to make this statement. At a time when we are teaching our youth that any form of bullying is completely unacceptable, Councillor Petrowski is setting the worse possible example for our youth.
His conduct is contributing to the image of politics as being mean spirited and hyper-partisan, when he should be relaying the image that politics is a calling to serve one’s neighbours and the community.
The politics of fear, division and hate have no place what so ever in politics. Mr. Petrowski has established a consistent pattern of disrespect not only to his fellow councillor’s, but towards local community groups and the public at large.
Furthermore when he is challenged on his hateful comments, he responds with more hate and claims of defamation.
Now is the time for myself, and my fellow elected representatives to take a stand and say enough is enough.
This is behaviour that none of us would condone in any workplace or our homes.
Silence and inaction further enables Mr. Petrowski and serves to imply that his actions are condoned.
They are not. I am asking that regional council and the public at large consider the remarks and actions made by Mr. Petrowski while he has been an elected official and ask themselves, can we really continue to endorse this behaviour?
If this answer is no, then actions must be taken to protect the integrity of our public institutions that Mr. Petrowski continues to harm.
Now is our opportunity to show the people of St. Catharines and Niagara that we are working to make our community a better place, in the most respectful and positive way possible. As the elected Member of Parliament of St. Catharines, I feel our community deserves nothing less. Diversity makes us stronger.
Fear doesn’t make us safe, it makes us weaker.
Chris Bittle Member of Parliament St. Catharines