[National File] Two drunk men on a flight from Labrador to Newfoundland last Monday caused an outrage, leading to their sacking, after it emerged that one of them said “Eskimo,” which is now a politically incorrect term.
The two men, Dave Beck and Thomas Scott are both from St. John’s, Newfoundland, worked primarily as plasterers and painters.
The men had been working a hotel renovation project in Nalcor-owned Churchill Falls for around three weeks, which was overseen by a Mount Pearl company called Kankote Enterprises, according to CBC.
Beck pinned his behavior on the fact that he had too much to drink.
In an interview with CBC, Beck said: “I know that’s no excuse for the remarks I made, my words that hurt so many people, especially Indigenous people. I’m not a racist. I would say culturally uneducated. Culturally illiterate.”
Scott chimed in, saying: “I’m sick to my stomach. I can’t eat. My family is ashamed of me. And I feel bad for the people that we disrespected. I feel very sorry about that.”
On his firing, Beck went onto say: “My job is gone. One of the best employers I ever had. I have no income now whatsoever. I’ll live on my savings until that’s gone and we’ll take it from there, I guess.
“The [embarrassment] that I’ve caused them all. My sons. My daughter. My wife. Her family. My family. I’m truly sorry.”
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[Editor’s Note: This article was written by Lionel Du Cane and first published at National File, title changed by Pulpit & Pen]
