Liberal MLA in British Columbia apologizes for referring to the NDP as ‘turds’

A Liberal MLA and cabinet minister has apologized to the NDP for this Tuesday night tweet:

"I think that I need to say to the opposition members that I do respect what you do in opposition and I respect you individually," Bill Bennett said in the legislature on Wednesday.

"I am sorry about the choice of words last night, because I really don't feel that way about you. "

It was a stark difference, however, from the Bill Bennett earlier in the day who claimed he did nothing wrong.

"Has everyone lost their sense of humour?" the minister of cultural development said during a press conference according to the Globe and Mail.

"I’m sort of a direct kind of person. I’ve always been a little edgy, I guess, in the way that I communicate.

"It’s not a term I would use in ordinary discourse. It’s not a term I would use within the building here. It was said in jest. It was said tongue in cheek. I don’t know. Has everybody lost their sense of humour or what?"

[ Related: B.C. Premier Christy Clark criticized for joke about ex-husband and limp microphone ]

Nobody in B.C. was really surprised by Bennett's language; he is what you might call: rough around the edges.

As the story goes, he was removed from cabinet in 2010 for a 'profanity-laced' email to a constituent calling him "a self-inflated, pompous, American know-it-all."

NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbart told Metro News that he's learned to expect that type of behaviour from Bennett.

"I just go: how do you get away with that as a minister of the Crown when we’re trying to provide good role models to people?" Chandra Herbart said.

"But that’s Bill Bennett."

Certainly, his language may not have been appropriate, but comparatively speaking using the word "turds" isn't really that egregious.

Below, we have compiled a list of tweets from politicians that were a lot worse:

Canadian examples:

1. Senator Patrick Brazeau - 'a D to a B'

In response to an article written by Canadian Press' Jennifer Ditchburn about his poor Senate attendance record Senator Brazeau fired back at the intrepid reporter on Twitter.

Brazeau eventually apologized.

2. NDP MP Pat Martin - 'rat-faced whores'

In December the outspoken New Democrat from Manitoba wasn't invited to a federal government announcement made by public safety minister Vic Toews in Martin's home riding of Winnipeg Centre.

That didn't sit well with Martin, who set off a Twitter tirade that would make a truck driver blush. Over a 2 and half hour period, Martin Tweeted about the snub, calling the Tories "rat-faced whores" and even delved in to the personal life of Toews.

American examples:

3. Former Republican Presidential nominee John McCain

According to Metro News, Senator John McCain took to Twitter last year to "mock the tears of the newly elected Vladimir Putin."

McCain quickly deleted the tweet.

4. Wisconsin Republican state Senate candidate Dane Deutsch

In 2010, Deutsch tweeted this:

Not surprisingly, Deutsch didn't win the election.

5. Representative Anthony Weiner (Weinergate)

Anthony Weiner caused quite the stir in 2011 when he tweeted a picture of a bulge in his underwear to a 21 year female college student in Seattle, Washington.

The then U.S. Congressman initially insisted that his account had been hacked but eventually confessed to exchanging sexually explicit photos with at least 6 women.

The scandal forced him to resign from Congress.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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