THE CANADIAN PRESS
FREDERICTON — Liberal MLA T.J. Burke said he was hoping to get away from the public eye of New Brunswick politics and escape to Boston’s Fenway Park to catch his favourite baseball team in action this week.
But attention and controversy tagged along for the trip.
Just hours before the start of Thursdays game, with Burkes Boston Red Sox playing the Oakland Athletics, it was reported that Sox designated hitter David Ortiz tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.
Burke was in the park when he heard the news about Ortiz, nicknamed Big Papi.
As it turns out, the MLA from Fredericton-Nashwaaksis, who resigned last week as Environment Minister to return to private law, had an opinion on the matter.
That opinion was picked up by the New York Times, one of the worlds most widely read newspapers both in print and online.
Later that day, the newspaper published a story about fan reaction to the Ortiz situation. One of the fans quoted in the story was Burke, who said “Papi can take steroids all day long if he wants.”
The New York Times referred to Burke as a “lifelong Red Sox fan and the former attorney general of New Brunswick, Canada.”
In an interview, Burke didnt deny saying the attributed quotes. He did, however, say his comments may have been presented out of context.
“This was an off-handed remark, on vacation after consuming a few beers with a bunch of family and friends at a Red Sox game,” he said on the phone while still vacationing in the U.S.
In recalling the conversation, Burke said he spoke with the reporter about many things, touching on the subject of steroid use in sports.
Burke said he told the reporter he felt baseball was being targeted for steroid use while other professional sports like football and basketball didnt receive as much scrutiny in drug testing.
“It was a general conversation,” he said.
In clarifying his comments, Burke said he was trying to show support for Ortiz and stand by his Red Sox team, and certainly wasnt encouraging or condoning the use of illegal steroids or performance enhancing drugs.
“It was in support of the team, support of the Red Sox, but not in support of steroids,” he said. “Of course I dont support steroids or steroid use.”
But the opposition Progressive Conservatives said they were outraged by Burkes comments, and said it suggested otherwise.
Jody Carr, Tory critic for Wellness, Culture and Sport, as well as the Department of Justice and the provincial attorney general, said Burkes comments shouldnt be taken lightly because they were presented in an international, widely-read news publication.
“Its completely unacceptable, its disturbing and its the wrong message for young people,” he said. “The premier has to be clear where he stands on this issue.”
There was no comment Friday from Premier Shawn Graham on Burkes comments.
(Moncton Times Transcript)
