TORONTO — The leader of Ontario's Conservatives says a "so-called joke" made by a caucus member about a female Liberal MP is "unequivocally inappropriate."
MPP Jack MacLaren's remarks, reported in today's Toronto Star, were aimed at Karen McCrimmen during a recent "men's night" cancer fundraising event.
In a statement, PC Leader Patrick Brown says "there is no room for misogynist comments in our caucus and party."
News of MacLaren's comments prompted Conservative MP Michelle Rempel and Ottawa-area Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod to express their support of McCrimmon on Twitter, saying they were sorry she was subjected to the vulgar jokes.
Brown says MacLaren, the MPP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills in eastern Ontario, acknowledged his joke was crude and has apologized.
The Star, however, reported that MacLaren sent the paper a statement apologizing for his remarks, but hadn't extended them to McCrimmon personally.