by The Montreal Canadiens and goalie Carey Price apologized after Price recently posted a social media post in support of a gun lobby group using “POLY” as their promotional discount code.
The team released a statement Monday stating that Price had no knowledge of the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre or its upcoming anniversary.
But Price said on Tuesday that he was aware of the massacre but regretted the timing of his mission.
Price posted his first Instagram post on Saturday, just days before the anniversary of the massacre on December 6. In it, Price shared his support for the Canadian Firearm Rights Coalition (CCFR), a lobbying group, following changes to the federal government’s gun control law, Bill C-21, last week.
The changes seemed to push the bill further by including a range of firearms used for hunting, a move that was quickly condemned by firearms advocates and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government was considering fixing.
Price, 35, has spoken in the past about the importance of hunting to him. He is a member of the Ulkatcho First Nation – his mother is a former chief – and grew up in the small remote community of Lake Anahim in British Columbia.
“I love my family, I love my country and I care about my neighbor. I am not a criminal or a threat to society. [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau] What he’s trying to do is unfair. i support [CCFR] to hide my hunting gear,” Price wrote.
But the post comes a day after Nathalie Provost, one of the Polytechnique mass murder survivors, accused CCFR of creating the “POLY” promo code, which offers customers 10 percent off merchandise.
Provost, who is also a spokesperson for PolySeSouvient, the gun control group created by massacre survivors, called the discount code “incredibly disrespectful”. The code was about the group.
The Provost was shot four times by the gunman who killed 14 schoolgirls and injured 13 that day.
The team apologized for the post
Monday evening, Price tweeted That she made her Instagram post only in response to Bill C-21 changes.
“My views are my own and I believe them. The only reason I bring this up is because it’s coming up right now and it’s not disrespectful to anyone,” Price wrote. “No me [don’t] Accept the promo code as well.”
Earlier in the day, France Margaret Bélanger, president of Groupe CH, owner of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, said the group had reacted negatively to the post.
“He was unaware of the tragic events of December 6, 1989, or of the coalition’s recent marketing efforts,” Bélanger told Radio-Canada in an email.
On Monday evening, the team made a statement regarding Price’s post.
“The Montreal Canadiens would like to express their sincere apologies to anyone who has been offended or offended by the rhetoric that has emerged on this issue in recent days,” the statement said.
The statement also marked the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women – the team’s thoughts were with the 14 women who died 33 years ago, their loved ones and survivors.
The team said they donated to the White Rose Week campaign to send 14 underprivileged girls to Polytechnique Montréal’s summer science camp, the Folie Technique.
On Tuesday, Price posted an update on its Instagram page.
“I think the people of Montreal know my heart and character and know that I would never intentionally hurt those affected by gun violence,” he wrote.
“Despite a previously released statement, I actually knew about the tragedy. I’ve been a member of the MTL community for 15 years and I understand the gravity of today’s community.”
Price said he stood by the ideas he shared, but said that “raising any talk about guns this week may have upset some of the most affected by the events of 1989, and I apologize to them.”
Coach says timing is unfortunate
Canadiens coach Martin St-Louis said the timing of Price’s first Instagram post was unfortunate, but he doesn’t believe the actor meant any evil by that.
I’m not sure Carey knows the whole story. [of the Montreal massacre]. I clearly remember; I was a boarding student at Collège Notre-Dame. I was 14 and it really shook me,” St-Louis told reporters Monday afternoon.
Statement from the Montreal Canadiens pic.twitter.com/JoVuiSvR75
The private college is next to the Université de Montréal campus, where the Polytechnique, the university’s engineering school, took place and where the mass murder took place.
St-Louis added, “I’m not sure people outside of Quebec know everything about it. Carey is a sensitive man, he’s a family man. I don’t think the post was made in bad faith,” St-Louis added.
Controversial gun control legislation
As for the relationship between Price and the firearms advocacy group, Bélanger said, “I believe Carey is in the best position to respond to that.”
Speaking in Ingersoll, Ont., Trudeau tried to reassure gun owners Monday that the law would be reviewed to make sure it didn’t target legitimate gun use.
In response to criticism of Bill C-21, Trudeau reaffirms his commitment to pursuing “the most dangerous weapons” and says the government is listening to feedback to make sure it “does not seize weapons that are primarily hunting weapons.”
He made these comments in response to widespread objections to significant changes to Bill C-21, a bill meant to ban handguns the Liberals are trying to replace. with a new long list of weapons be banned
It is not clear whether the firearm in his hand is on that list in the photo Price shared.
Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois he said on twitter Price was convinced that the “purpose or effect of gun control was to harm hunting for sport, which was wrong”.
