Premier Wab Kinew tried to put out the self-inflicted dumpster fire Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine started with the deaf community. In Episode 33, we explain how by defending her excuses for her behavior towards an ASL interpreter, he's made it worse.

Part 1- A scan of the headlines relating to our reports on: the late Coun. Jason Schreyer, unaddressed dangers to staff and public safety around the Health Sciences Centre, the Moving on Marion plan grinding to a standstill, and the chaos being caused to Transit users by the new routes and scheduling. That's the subject of our Sunday column in the Winnipeg Sun, Is Winnipeg’s new Transit plan the next New Coke flop?

16.40 Part 2- Instead of holding her accountable, Wab Kinew expects the disabled community she's insulted to hold her hand.

"Our minister has apologized and is putting in the work with the community so it’s with the greatest of humility that I want to ask folks in the deaf community to keep working with her.” Premier Wab Kinew to reporters.

"A written statement with no ASL translation, followed by a radio interview that is inaccessible to the community you are trying to reach and apologize to is not a mistake — it is an intentional harmful act.” Deaf social worker Cassandra Bell to the Winnipeg Free Press

While Free Press pundit Dan Lett claimed it was only political opponents demanding Fontaine be turfed from the Accessibility portfolio, our last podcast proved him wrong. Then he had to read how wrong he was, in his own newspaper:

“Speaking for myself, I think that minister Fontaine is not equipped to do her job as the minister of accessibility,”Bell said on Friday. “The majority of the people in the deaf community, that I’ve connected with, many are saying the same thing. What Nahanni Fontaine said is audist, ableist, discriminatory, and shows the root of her beliefs at her core."

The newspaper also revealed a key detail they withheld earlier in the week - Fontaine's excuse for being in a foul mood at the graduation ceremony her own government arranged and produced:

"The stage was overcrowded with decorations. She suggested it was a safety hazard."

• READ MARTY GOLD'S COLUMNS IN THE WINNIPEG SUN EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY

27.45- Marty Gold provides a history lesson on other occasions Nahanni Fontaine reached into her back pocket to play the "I don't feel safe card' when challenged on her job performance and crass behavior.

Two election town halls in 2016 established the pattern of the Mean Girl of the NDP making up excuses instead of taking responsibility. The first event was populated by polite and docile Babas and Zaidas, and her claim she felt unsafe was mocked by the moderator. The second event was at a community centre after she admitted she never once spoke to NDP Premier Greg Selinger about CFS scooping aboriginal children in her North End constituency.

Marty was at both town halls and recounts the absurd scenes Fontaine started. The pattern continues. Instead of heeding his own responsibility to the public, Kinew thinks this Fontaine fire will blow itself out.

WFP: "Asked about Fontaine’s explanation for her comments, Kinew said it’s important for him to make any situation “that’s not a win” a learning opportunity."

Which has nothing to do with accountability.

Nothing.

Someone tell Wab Kinew that.

*****

Wab Kinew says he's in Nahanni Fontaine's corner. We are in YOUR corner.

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