By The Canadian Press

Angry rhetoric blamed for vandalism at UCP MLA’s office

Jan 16, 2019 | 3:29 PM

ST. PAUL, Alta. – An Alberta United Conservative member is cleaning up after rocks were thrown through the windows of his constituency office in an act he says was partly to blame on inflamed NDP rhetoric.

Dave Hanson says sometime Tuesday night large rocks shattered the windows of his office in St. Paul, northeast of Edmonton.

No one was in the office and nobody was hurt.

Hanson says the office later received an email from a person claiming responsibility and apologizing.

He says the person said the vandalism occurred after reading an NDP tweet saying Hanson’s party plans to give $700 million in tax breaks to rich people and in doing so would cut all supports for the severely disabled.

Byelection April 22, 2024

Advance voting for Red Deer's byelection runs April 18-20

5h ago

family physician

New doctor working at Easthill clinic in Red Deer

5h ago

april 13

RCMP charge Innisfail resident following traffic stop

5h ago

The UCP say neither is true, and Hanson says the rock-throwing is a sobering reminder that angry rhetoric and fearmongering can lead to extreme actions.

“These claims are patently false. Not only have there been no such commitments, but this falsehood is demonstrably untrue, having been repeatedly debunked,” the party said in a release. “In fact, our United Conservative team in the Legislature voted in support of increasing AISH funding this past November because we believe it’s the right thing to do.”

The UCP went on to say, “With an election expected soon, this incident should be a reminder for responsibility. Fear-mongering and peddling false claims for political gain can cause undue distress when programs and services people depend on are being used as a political ploy.”

(The Canadian Press)