11/23/2019
"I come from a poor background but I didn't choose to engage in criminal activity. Stop making the false assertion that someone who is poor has an excuse for stealing from other people. They don't."
Mr. Pallister, you grew up on a family farm in rural Manitoba. I think I can make an educated guess and assume you didn't deal with abusive parents or drug addicts in your home. You didn't have to toughen yourself up just to play in your front yard, you didn't deal with racism or pressures to join gangs at a young age. Comparing yourself to the people in Winnipeg living in extreme poverty is unquestionably one of the most idiotic things I've heard.
You are right that being poor isn't an excuse for the violent actions. But that's not the excuse - it's not just being poor, it's the extreme poverty, desparation and drug addiction. It's an awful cycle that is just going to continue to snowball until you really work with community programs, the Winnipeg Police and the justice system to address what's really causing our city to fall apart.
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says the financial background of Liquor Mart thieves needs to stop being used as an excuse to justify the actions of robbers who loot booze and hurt others.