Education Minister apologizes for remarks made to Sask. mother [Video]

On Thursday, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill apologized for remarks he made to a mother who had advocated for better classroom supports earlier this week.

On Tuesday during a meeting in the minister’s office, Taya Thomas, a woman grieving the loss of her first born child spoke of the struggles faced by parents who need classroom supports for special needs children.

“When STF job action came up, he asked her, and this is a direct quote from Taya, ‘What do they want me to do? Give up my first born child?’” NDP MLA Aleana Young said during question period on Thursday.

Cockrill said he knew it was a mistake the moment he said it.

“In that meeting, Mr. Speaker, I used an expression that was a poor choice of words on my part,” he said during question period. “I did apologize to Ms. Thomas.”

However, that’s not how Thomas remembers the meeting.

“He did not apologize to me. I …