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April 9, 2005
TJ Burke Uses Courtrooom Theatrics!
Source: Telegraph Journal
NB Telegraph-Journal | News - Other
As published on page A3 on April 9, 2005
AT THE LEGISLATURE
T.J. Burke uses courtroom theatrics to help constituents
CARL DAVIES
CAPITAL NOTEBOOK
T.J. Burke.
Up and comer, rising Liberal star and ardent defender of the downtrodden? Or smug, self-satsified lawyer
with naked ambition?
Tories in Fredericton certainly want people to believe it's the latter.
Earlier this week, Mr. Burke stood up in the house during question period to make an impassioned plea
for a young family in his riding of Fredericton North that had been evicted from its NB Housing digs after
falling more than $1,000 behind in rent payments.
According to Mr. Burke, Jamie Clark, his fiancée, an eight-week old baby and two school-aged children
were left out on the street with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Also, the family cat and hamster were left behind without food or water.
Mr. Burke produced receipts that showed the family had paid most of what was owed and wanted Family
and Community Services Minister Tony Huntjens to get them back into the home to collect their
belongings and pets.
There were some dramatics from Mr. Burke, fist-pounding, that sort of thing.
Not too long after the exchange, an e-mail went out to some media members from Jack Carr of the
government member's office with attached photos that show Mr. Burke sitting down and smiling after the
exchange.
"Obviously T.J. put on a show and then laughed about it afterwards," he wrote.
Mr. Carr is Oromocto-Gagetown MLA Jody Carr's twin brother and the chief cook and bottle washer in the
government member's office.
He's the wrangler for all the backbench Tory MLAs and helps do things like write their members'
statements, arrange their schedules, track them down if the media is looking for them, and that sort of
thing.
His point is one that has been made before by Tories when Mr. Burke has made headlines.
The most notable incident was an exchange with the premier in January when the Mr. Lord made a
comment to Mr. Burke about paying taxes that caused Mr. Burke to storm from the legislature floor.
Mr. Burke, the legislature's first-ever native MLA, didn't like the racial overtones of the comment.
In the midst of that controversy, the premier himself noted that Mr. Burke had once said to Tory MLA Percy
Mockler, "you want sensitivity, bend over, I'll give you sensitivity."
The point there being one presumes that Mr. Burke can dish it out, but can't take it.
Mr. Burke denied making those statements, but he copped to laughing after the exchange this week in a
letter to the Daily Gleaner newspaper.
He said he was simply laughing at Mr. Huntjens' response, which did include the comment, "there are
people with character you can compliment and people with character you can condemn."
Not that funny perhaps, but certainly esoteric and completely off-topic.
The truth is, Mr. Burke can be a bit over-the-top cocky sometimes, a character trait often found in both
lawyers and politicians.
But there's nothing wrong with pounding your fist for a constituent, even if it involves some forced
theatrics.
One thing is certain. He appears to be very good at getting under the skin of those sitting on the other
side of the house.
- Carl Davies
Source: Telegraph Journal
TJ Burke Uses Courtrooom Theatrics!
Source: Telegraph Journal
NB Telegraph-Journal | News - Other
As published on page A3 on April 9, 2005
AT THE LEGISLATURE
T.J. Burke uses courtroom theatrics to help constituents
CARL DAVIES
CAPITAL NOTEBOOK
T.J. Burke.
Up and comer, rising Liberal star and ardent defender of the downtrodden? Or smug, self-satsified lawyer
with naked ambition?
Tories in Fredericton certainly want people to believe it's the latter.
Earlier this week, Mr. Burke stood up in the house during question period to make an impassioned plea
for a young family in his riding of Fredericton North that had been evicted from its NB Housing digs after
falling more than $1,000 behind in rent payments.
According to Mr. Burke, Jamie Clark, his fiancée, an eight-week old baby and two school-aged children
were left out on the street with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Also, the family cat and hamster were left behind without food or water.
Mr. Burke produced receipts that showed the family had paid most of what was owed and wanted Family
and Community Services Minister Tony Huntjens to get them back into the home to collect their
belongings and pets.
There were some dramatics from Mr. Burke, fist-pounding, that sort of thing.
Not too long after the exchange, an e-mail went out to some media members from Jack Carr of the
government member's office with attached photos that show Mr. Burke sitting down and smiling after the
exchange.
"Obviously T.J. put on a show and then laughed about it afterwards," he wrote.
Mr. Carr is Oromocto-Gagetown MLA Jody Carr's twin brother and the chief cook and bottle washer in the
government member's office.
He's the wrangler for all the backbench Tory MLAs and helps do things like write their members'
statements, arrange their schedules, track them down if the media is looking for them, and that sort of
thing.
His point is one that has been made before by Tories when Mr. Burke has made headlines.
The most notable incident was an exchange with the premier in January when the Mr. Lord made a
comment to Mr. Burke about paying taxes that caused Mr. Burke to storm from the legislature floor.
Mr. Burke, the legislature's first-ever native MLA, didn't like the racial overtones of the comment.
In the midst of that controversy, the premier himself noted that Mr. Burke had once said to Tory MLA Percy
Mockler, "you want sensitivity, bend over, I'll give you sensitivity."
The point there being one presumes that Mr. Burke can dish it out, but can't take it.
Mr. Burke denied making those statements, but he copped to laughing after the exchange this week in a
letter to the Daily Gleaner newspaper.
He said he was simply laughing at Mr. Huntjens' response, which did include the comment, "there are
people with character you can compliment and people with character you can condemn."
Not that funny perhaps, but certainly esoteric and completely off-topic.
The truth is, Mr. Burke can be a bit over-the-top cocky sometimes, a character trait often found in both
lawyers and politicians.
But there's nothing wrong with pounding your fist for a constituent, even if it involves some forced
theatrics.
One thing is certain. He appears to be very good at getting under the skin of those sitting on the other
side of the house.
- Carl Davies
Source: Telegraph Journal
I recall observing his campaign when he ran in
the last provincial election.No where in his
campaign pamphlets did you see anything
relating himto the aboriginal community in New
Brunswick. When I questioned organizers about
this, I was informed that Burke did not want it
generally known that he was a mixed-blood
Maliseet person, at least not during the
campaign. That was why there was no mention of
it in the campaign pamphlets or signs.Disclosure
would be fine when and if he got elected. Now he
claims to be hurt by so-called racial slurs when he
conducted his campaign as if he were ashamed
of the very aboriginal community he now claims to
represent. ANON
the last provincial election.No where in his
campaign pamphlets did you see anything
relating himto the aboriginal community in New
Brunswick. When I questioned organizers about
this, I was informed that Burke did not want it
generally known that he was a mixed-blood
Maliseet person, at least not during the
campaign. That was why there was no mention of
it in the campaign pamphlets or signs.Disclosure
would be fine when and if he got elected. Now he
claims to be hurt by so-called racial slurs when he
conducted his campaign as if he were ashamed
of the very aboriginal community he now claims to
represent. ANON