So on one hand, this is an outlandish, and downright shocking event. On the other, given what we've seen over the past years that has led up to the election, is it that surprising?
Thursday night, more than 30 homes in the St. Paul Riding in Toronto were vandalized. Tires were slashed, and vehicles were vandalized in an event not unlike the 2008 brake line cuttings in the same riding. More chilling, all the homes vandalized were related or supporters of Liberal Incumbent Carolyn Bennett. Even vandalized was Ms. Bennett's financial officer's vehicle, even though he had no visible sign for the Liberal party.
The form of voter intimidation is distressing to an extreme. Though incredibly unlikely to be orchestrated by any other party, residents who were victims in the crime point out that the recent slew of attack ads and media may have their hand in encouraging this behavior.
Ms Joanne Mills, who had four tires slashed was quoted in the Star;
- “I attribute this to Stephen Harper’s attack ads that make people think this kind of behavior is acceptable.”
Another woman, who had her tires slashed remarked that a neighbour yelled at her.
- “Vote Conservative. It wouldn’t have happened.”
We expect these tactics, these monstrous un-democratic vandalism and intimidation tactics in other nations, not in Canada. But here they are. Wake up Canada. Our own people are being victimized, being derided for their freedom to choose. Our own people are being attacked on our own home turf. And not in a rural nowhere either, in Toronto, the largest metropolitain bastion of our nation.
Do we allow this? Do people deserve to have hundreds of dollars of vandalism or to be targeted in their own homes and amongst their own families for having the guts to stand up and say "This is what I believe in?"
What's next? Tires slashed one day, will it be Molotovs, tomorrow? Machetes? We have always said our country was proud, was above that behaviour. That our democracy was fair and free for everyone. Yet that isn't the case for 30 households this morning. Will we not take a stand?
The Article from the National Post
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/04/22/liberal-supporters-get-tires-slashed-l-scratched-on-cars/
An Article on the Incident from the Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/979199--residents-worried-after-vandals-strike-homes-with-liberal-signs-in-st-paul-s?bn=1
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