Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki said he didnB次元官网网址檛 mean to degrade anyone with his comments about making people B次元官网网址榮omewhat normalB次元官网网址� again.

The mayorB次元官网网址檚 comment came out during March 16B次元官网网址檚 heated meeting when council once again rejected BC HousingB次元官网网址檚 request to extend the Victory Church shelterB次元官网网址檚 temporary permit past March 31.

The mayorB次元官网网址檚 comment instantly caused a firestorm of criticism through social media, some calling on the mayor to resign.

The mayor has not tried to clarify his comments until this Tuesday when a Penticton reporter asked him if heB次元官网网址檇 like to speak on those comments.

During the discussion of the extension, Vassilaki said it was going to cost BC Housing $1.7 million to run the Victory Church shelter for 12 months.

That would be around $40,000 per person living in that shelter which has 42 beds.

B次元官网网址淚f theyB次元官网网址檙e going to take this $40,000 per resident and put it into a Riverview, just think how much good they could do with those folks. Maybe they could get rid of their addictions and mental health issues and make them somewhat normal,B次元官网网址� Vassilaki said during that metting.

On Tuesday, the Mayor offered his regrets for the words that he used.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 mean it to come out the way people take it. Sometimes when you are in a meeting, and you are speaking you donB次元官网网址檛 have time to think of what word to use. Sometimes a not politically correct word comes out and thatB次元官网网址檚 what happened in this case,B次元官网网址� he said in TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 special meeting on the shelter.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 mean harm to anyone or to degrade or belittle anyone whatsoever,B次元官网网址� said Vassilaki.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not like that and I never will be.B次元官网网址�

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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