EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Ralph Klein refused to apologize Thursday for a sexual joke he made about Liberal MP Belinda Stronach even though she says it's the kind of comment that repels women from politics.
Klein, who is retiring in December after 14 years as premier, said Thursday the crack was made in good humour at a fundraising roast in Calgary earlier this week.
''A roast is a roast is a roast. It's not a toast,'' Klein told reporters.
''I'm making no apologies, no. I read the copy and I approved it. I thought it was a funny line. So did Bruce,'' he added, referring to his bodyguard.
The joke, scripted by Klein's office staff, poked fun at Stronach for crossing the floor from the Conservatives: ''I don't think she ever did have a Conservative bone in her body. Well, except for one,'' he said, to a mixture of groans, laughter, claps and whistles.
''Well, speaking of Peter MacKay,'' he continued.
The comment was made Tuesday night at the annual Calgary Homeless Foundation roast, and reported in newspapers Canadawide Thursday. Some officials in attendance found the line over the top even for a roast, where ribald jokes are a tradition.
In response, Stronach told reporters in Montreal that many women she speaks to shy away from getting into politics because it's so ''rough and nasty.''
Shirley McClellan, Klein's deputy premier, set her anger on the media for bothering to report the joke, saying she's heard many comments of questionable taste at roasts in the past and the same Stronach quip before.
''I don't know of any person who is more respectful of women, who is less inclined to tell off-colour stories or use improper language,'' McClellan said of Klein. ''I've worked with this gentleman for 17 years, and have never been treated with anything more than the utmost respect. And I am so disappointed in our media.''
Edmonton Journal
Alberta premier Ralph Klein was at the annual Calgary Homeless Foundation roast Tuesday evening when he poked fun at Liberal MP Belinda Stronach crossing the floor from the Conservatives to the Liberals. "I wasn't surprised that she crossed over to the Liberals. I don't think she ever did have a Conservative bone in her body. Well, maybe one." Referring to Conservative MP Peter MacKay, her ex boyfriend.  "Well, speaking of Peter MacKay...," he continued.

Klein refused to apologize for the remark saying: "I'm making no apologies....I read the copy and I approved. I thought it was a funny line....So did Bruce his bodyguard," he added.

"A roast is a roast is a roast. It's not a toast," Klein told reporters.

The audience laughed at the joke, but after some people said they felt uncomfortable with it.

"Ms. Stronach roasted the premier two years ago and made remarks about his weight, his clothing and even his flatulence," Marisa Etmanski, Klein's press secretary, told the Canadian Press. "In a roast situation, these remarks were hysterical, and that's the same kind of thing that happened this year."

Calgary Stampede Parade
Stronach, a feminist, was offended by the joke and said that "we want to attract many more women to participate in politics" and "improve the civility that occurs in public life." 

Stronach was in Montreal on Thursday for an international conference on global poverty and defended herself from the comment. "Ralph should put his money where his mouth is and buy a whole bunch of bednets to save kids from malaria in Africa."

The joke was taken from Mr. MacKay's alleged comment calling Stronach a "dog" last month in the House of Commons.

"I don't know of any person who is more respectful of women, who is less inclined to tell off-colour stories or use improper language," said Shirley McClellan, Klein's deputy premier. "I've worked with this gentleman for 17 years, and have never been treated with anything more than the utmost respect. And I am so disappointed in our media."

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