Lt.-Gov. John Crosbie is drawing fire for a joke told during Friday’s cabinet shuffle which is being described as “inappropriate” and “shocking.”
During his official remarks to the new cabinet, media and invited guests, Crosbie told a series of jokes about the current economic troubles in the United States.
“This fellow said, ‘I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, social security, retirement funds, etc., I called a suicide hotline and got a call centre in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck,’” Crosbie quipped.
Wasiq Waqar, president of the Pakistani Students’ Association at Memorial University, said the joke was “shocking to hear” from the province’s lieutenant-governor.
“Maybe it’s a joke, but still, I think it’s insensitive and irresponsible,” Waqar said. “It creates an impression, you know, it embeds prejudice. It creates a stereotype.”
Waqar said part of what made it upsetting was that the joke was made during the course of Crosbie’s speech, during the formal cabinet swearing-in ceremony.
“Even if it’s a joke, if it’s in a private manner with friends and stuff, I would say it’s still tolerable, but if he does this joke in a gathered meeting or a ceremony or publicly, I think it’s not right,” he said.
Premier Kathy Dunderdale was sitting at the front of the room when the joke was told.
In response to an inquiry by The Telegram, the premier’s office issued a statement saying, “The comments of the lieutenant-governor were clearly inappropriate.”
NDP MHA Gerry Rogers also said the joke was out of line.
“We live in a province that is working so hard to open up our province to newcomers, to be aware of, and supportive of a multicultural community,” she said.
“We know that racism still exists in our province, that there is hostility. We’re working on that, and I was so disappointed to think that the representative of our head of state would tell such an inappropriate joke at an official function where the premier and all the new cabinet ministers were sworn in.”
Crosbie has been well known for colourful comments and jokes during his tenure as lieutenant-governor.
He said the joke was one of several sent to him by by a friend in the U.S.
He also joked that the economy is so bad, “Exxon Mobil apparently laid off 25 congressmen,” and that “A truckload of Americans were caught sneaking into Mexico.”
Responding to the criticism, Crosbie wasn’t backing down.
Speaking to The Telegram, he said the joke was about the economic situation in the U.S. and the fact that call-centre jobs are being outsourced around the world. The reference to terrorism wasn’t the point, he said.
“It’s not that they’re associated with terrorists, the joke is that we’re using people like this to phone all over North America, Europe, etc., because it’s cheaper for the (companies) who use them to do that,” he said.
“It’s got nothing to do with that they’re sympathetic with terrorists, but we know, of course, that in Pakistan there are a large number of terrorists, so that’s the joke.”
Crosbie said if anyone was offended by the joke, they’re welcome to get in touch with him.
“I’m just trying to give the crowd something lighter to be amused about in the course of my opinions,” he said.
“If people don’t like it, they can write me and say, ‘You’re a terrible fellow,’ You’re ignorant,’ ‘You’re a son of a bitch,’ or whatever they want. That’s just the risk you take if you say anything in public, don’t you?”
jmcleod@thetelegram.com
Twitter: TelegramJames
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John Crosby looks like a dinasour and should be burried with them. And it is not the job of the President of the Pakistani Students union to apologize for the stupidity of some of his fellow citizens. That sort of statement is exactly why John boy should be forced to retire.