Ottawa Centre MP on abuse: ‘It needs to stop’
Ottawa Centre MP Catherine McKenna, the subject of vicious attacks online and in person during the election campaign, has now had her campaign office vandalized.
A sexist profanity spray-painted across the window of the office was discovered Thursday morning.
It continues a pattern of personal hate attacks on McKenna, ranging from swearing at her online to stopping her as she walked along a street with her children and screaming at her.
During the federal election campaign, McKenna began having a police security detail when she made public appearances such as when she stood on a Centretown street to announce funding for a non-profit environmental agency.
McKenna invited reporters Thursday to the scene of the latest vandalism to speak out against this attack and others, most of which have focused on the fact that she is a woman.
McKenna said this is unfair not only to her but to the many women who worked on her campaign.
“We’ve just been through a really divisive campaign with a lot of negative rhetoric and this is really beneath us as Canadians. I’m angry and, quite frankly, really disappointed,” she said.
“It’s the same as the trolls on Twitter. It needs to stop.”
She said the country must have discussions, but “without vitriol, without hate and without anger. I really believe in politics. That is why I do it … but I want us to have better discussions and I want this kind of thing to stop.”
Ottawa police say they are investigating the vandalism as an act of mischief.
Reaction on social media was swift. Even her political opponents were quick to defend McKenna.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford tweeted: “Disgusting. There is no place in Canada for hate like this. While we may disagree on matters, we must always respect one another.”
Jean-Luc Cooke, president of the Green Party of Canada, tweeted: “If you resort to defacing a campaign office, you’ve already lost ... to use words like this, make that doubly so.” tspears@postmedia.com twitter.com/TomSpears1