On Twitter, Aaron Ekman says he doesn't know why he was removed from his role
The chair of the board for the University of Northern B.C. has been removed from his position because of "racist and discriminatory comments," according to the provincial government.
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training Anne Kang announced Friday evening that she has stripped Aaron Ekman of his title at the Prince George university.
"Our government and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) are deeply committed to tackling racism and hate in all its forms. We have high standards for public appointees, and racist and discriminatory comments from public appointments to post-secondary institutions will not be tolerated," Kang said in a written statement.
The statement does not make it clear what Ekman has said to warrant his removal, but a government spokesman confirmed the offending comments were made online.
In a tweet Friday morning, Ekman cast doubt on a government statement pointing to increasing antisemitism and bigotry in B.C.
"Has there? Does the B.C. government have evidence of this? Honest question," Ekman tweeted.
But after his firing was announced, Ekman said he was in the dark about the reasoning, tweeting, "Haven't heard yet if it's because I've been a Zionist, an anti-semite, or a transphobe."
The comment about transphobia likely relates to a May 5 tweet in which Ekman mocked the province for saying it is prioritizing "pregnant people" for COVID-19 vaccination. He said he is "very interested in interviewing any pregnant person who is not a woman."
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