UCP MLA Hunter trivializes 230,000 tsunami deaths to score cheap political points

­For immediate release
March 1, 2018

EDMONTON- UCP MLA Grant Hunter trivialized the deaths of 230,000 people in the 2004 tsunami by comparing it to the NDP’s election win.

The Taber Times wrote, “Just back from a trip to southeast Asia, Hunter compared the devastating 2004 tsunami to the election of the NDP in Alberta in 2015.”^[1] Hunter is quoted saying, “Two and half years ago, there was another type of disaster that happened in Alberta. There was an NDP anti-Alberta socialist government that was elected here.”

Nearly 230,000 people lost their lives in the tsunami. The deaths included more than 130,000 Indonesians, 35,000 Sri Lankans, 10,000 Indians, 5,000 Thais, 300 Somalis and others from Malaysia, the Maldives, Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania and Yemen. Thousands of citizens from other countries, including Canadians, also died.

This isn’t the first time Hunter has trivialized the deaths of innocent people. He was forced to apologize in 2016, along with eight other UCP MLAs, after he downplayed the Holodomor genocide.[2]

Grant Hunter, formerly a Wildrose MLA, endorsed Jason Kenney for the UCP leadership. Kenney has since stated he will be “screening out all the bozos” from his team. This is strike two against Hunter. Kenney and Hunter must immediately apologize.

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[1] The Taber Times. February 28 2018. http://www.tabertimes.com/news/2018/02/28/hunter-announces-ucp-candidacy-for-new-riding/

[2] Edmonton Journal. June 3 2016. http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/wildrose-blog-post-that-compares-carbon-tax-to-ukrainian-genocide-requires-apology-ndp-cabinet-minister-says