N.B. education minister defends heated email exchange with student

Education Minister Kelly Lamrock admits he may have got carried away in a heated email exchange with a Nackawic Middle School student over budget cuts in his department.

Lamrock blamed his long and at times pointed responses to Brandon Pike's emails on his proclivity for debate.

"Despite the fact that I can get carried away in debate, I am passionate about education," Lamrock said after being questioned about his tactics in question period on Thursday.

The controversy started when Pike emailed Lamrock to complain about cuts to school support workers.

The series of emails eventually made it onto the social networking site Facebook and CBC News published the exchange on its political blog on Tuesday.

Lamrock emailed back with his familiar argument that he had asked the teachers' unions to be flexible in a plan to cut class sizes in the next school year to save the positions.

Student tells minister his argument 'just plain dumb'

Pike replied by telling Lamrock his arguments were "just plain dumb."

Lamrock fired back a detailed 11-paragraph reply and suggested the student give his intellect "the care it deserves."

Lamrock eventually ended the exchange and said Brandon could make his arguments to himself, "unburdened by facts."

Progressive Conservative MLA Claude Landry, the opposition's education critic, criticized Lamrock for his exchange with the student.

"Does the minister consider that his comments were appropriate coming from a minister of the Crown to a young student whose only fault is seeking better educational opportunities for himself and other students from this province?" Landry said.

Lamrock said when he was growing up he experienced the "cut and thrust" of vigorous debate around the kitchen table.

"And sometimes in debate, it's a personal flaw of mine. I get carried away. I'm sure I've done it before and I'll do it again. I try and do better but God isn't finished with me yet," he said.