9/11 Photograph Used by Canadian Lawmaker to Promote 'Pig Roast'

The flyer produced by the Saskatchewan Party

A Canadian lawmaker has apologized for using an image of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center buildings to promote a pig roast fundraiser.

The Saskatchewan Party used the photograph above as the background to a flier that promoted a talk from New York City Fire Chief Richard Picciotto, one of the many to go into the burning buildings, and one of the few to make it out.

But the image, from the 2001 terrorist attack where almost 3,000 people died, has drawn heavy criticism.

Frank Dwyer, a spokesman for the FDNY, said “the use of images of the attacks for political or monetary gain, like the image on this poster, is in bad taste.”

Canadian lawmaker Sandra Morin agrees. “To use a graphic image of the burning twin towers – in which thousands of people tragically died – to raise political dollars, is both shocking for its lack of respect and disturbing for its lack of judgment,” she said.

The backlash has prompted Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall to issue an official apology. Nancy Heppner, the Party member who approved the idea, said the image “was not chosen with any malicious intent or it was never our intention to appear insensitive or offend anybody.”

So what do you think? Should pictures of 9/11 be allowed to promote $50-a-plate fundraisers, or is it insensitive and in poor taste to use them at all?

Jeff Racheff: