Two Tri-Cities federal politicians are speaking out against a recent verbal attack against Canada's deputy prime minister while she was on a visit in her home province of Alberta.
Insults and profanities were shouted at Chrystia Freeland and her staff as she was waiting for an elevator in the lobby of a building in Grande Prairie on Aug. 26.
An investigation into the incident has been launched, RCMP confirmed on Tuesday (Aug. 30).
Port Moody—Coquitlam MP Bonita Zarrillo is a member of the NDP and, therefore, on the other side of the House of Commons' chambers from the Liberals, of which Freeland represents in the current minority government.
However, she believes, regardless of party, no one should be subject to any form of harassment, especially women.
"What has become clear yet again, when looking at the unacceptable intimidation, harassment and abuse of Minister Freeland and her staff in Grande Prairie, is that Canada does not have the tools to deal with the hate and disinformation that is growing across our communities," Zarrillo said in a statement to the Tri-City News.
"What happened in Grand Prairie is wrong, and the misogyny behind this specific incident is sickening."
Zarrillo has been known to raise her voice in Ottawa on gender neutrality and equity, especially women who work in the care economy that support their communities during unprecedented circumstances.
Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam MP Ron McKinnon is also standing by his Liberal colleague.
"It is of course abhorrent for anyone to be subjected to such abuse, more so a dedicated public official and even more so a woman," he told the Tri-City News.
"I condemn such behaviour in no uncertain terms."
Freeland visited the Tri-Cities in August 2021 to support McKinnon and other local Liberal candidates during the snap-election campaign.
Freeland harassment
While she represents the riding of University—Rosedale in Toronto, Freeland was born in Peace River, Alta. — less than 200 km northeast of Grande Prairie.
The man and woman that approached the finance minister and told her that she didn't belong in the province in a video posted online.
The scene begins with the man calling Freeland by name, to which she responds "Yes?"
He then hurls numerous profanities at Freeland and her staff members, while also calling a "traitor."
"What happened yesterday (Aug. 26) was wrong," Freeland wrote in a statement on social media, adding one unpleasant encounter won't change how she feels about her fellow Albertans.
"Nobody, anywhere, should have to put up with threats and intimidation."
And Alberta RCMP have since launched an investigation into the incident.
In a statement on Tuesday (Aug. 30), Alberta Mounties said investigators are now looking into the verbal attack, and explained these actions, in person or online, can have significant effects and may be against the law.
Spokesperson Robin Percival said when the threshold for a criminal charge is met, RCMP or police of the jurisdiction may arrest and lay charges.
If the criminal threshold is not met, officers examine the threats and derogatory comments from an intelligence perspective.
Under RCMP regulations, MPs can receive police protection in Canada and abroad as needed.
"For security reasons, the RCMP doesn't comment on specifics when it comes to security measures afforded to the deputy prime minister," Percival said.
Protective measures are intelligence-led and are proportional to any threats or risks assessed by the RCMP, the federal threat assessment centre and other partners, she added.
"The RCMP continuously reviews its protective measures and practices in place in order to ensure a safe and secure environment for protectees."
- with files from Jess Balzer, Burnaby NOW, and The Canadian Press
