Two federal election party signs were seen damaged along 50 street Monday morning. (rdnewsNOW/Jordan Davidson)

By Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

Sign Of Disrespect

RCMP reminder: damaging election signs still very much illegal

Sep 13, 2021 | 2:50 PM

RCMP across the country are reminding people that it’s still a criminal offence to tamper with election signs.

This coming after a number of election signs were found to have been damaged in Airdrie over the weekend, along with a couple of signs in Red Deer.

Tampering with or stealing election signs is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Canada Elections Act, and anyone caught doing so can be facing charges, including mischief to property or theft under $5,000- which has a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Penalties are decided upon on a case-by-case basis and are determined by the courts. Factors like whether it was hate motivated are also considered.

Damaged election signs have appeared across the province almost as soon as the election was called. While some damage such as spray-paint, is obvious vandalism, other incidents could simply be due to adverse weather conditions.

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The federal election signs damaged in Red Deer belong to both the People’s Party of Canada and Conservative Party of Canada, and were seen along 50 street and 67 Street.

How the signs were damaged is unconfirmed.

No party has been immune to this type of vandalism, however, as incidents have been reported on social media from nearly all federal parties in the race, and in every corner of the country. The Liberal candidate in Lethbridge, for example, had an arrow shot through his sign near the end of August.

(Devon Hargreaves via Twitter)

Reports of racist graffiti, signs being thrown in the garbage, and systematically removed from entire neighborhoods have also been reported in Alberta.

If you see someone damaging an election sign, you can report them through the Red Deer RCMP non-emergency number at 403-343-5575. You can also call the political party who’s sign was damaged.

The federal election is on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021.