Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino says the federal government is considering its options for increasing security for politicians, adding that the harassment many face represents a threat to democracy. He says that as the security situation becomes “increasingly complex”, there is a need to “turn down the heat”. This comes after a video was posted online this weekend of Deputy Premier Chrystia Freeland being harassed in Alberta. The video shows a man shouting profanities at the minister in the lobby of the Grande Prairie, Alta city hall before she and her staff entered the elevator. Mendicino said the harassment and threats politicians face “is not a partisan issue.” “We’re seeing more incidents, particularly involving women, involving racist Canadians and involving aboriginal people,” she said. “I don’t think this is a coincidence and we need to be sure that people can contribute, that they can lend their voice to our politics.” Politicians from both sides of the aisle were quick to defend Freeland and denounce the harassment, with many also sharing their own experiences of threatening behavior. Minister for Women and Gender Equality Marci Ien said while she agreed with Mendicino’s comments that the temperature needs to be turned down, it has been “decidedly high” for women, Indigenous people and people of color for too long. “That’s true,” said Ian. “This is true. What happened to the deputy prime minister was reprehensible, but not surprising.” “I was a journalist. I am a black woman. And now I am a politician,” he also said. “And I have to tell you, it was the number one thing my family was concerned about when I ran for office because as a journalist, the level of threats that I received, as a black journalist, the level of threats that I received on life and on lives of my children, running for office was no small decision.” Families, Children and Social Development Minister Karina Gould, who was at the news conference with Mendicino and Ien, echoed their statements and said while she was grateful to have had the opportunity for additional protection when she needed it, she was “sad that it’s something we need.” “We’ve been very fortunate in Canada, and I think we’ve prided ourselves for many years on the fact that our politicians are generally very approachable,” Gould said. “That’s something I think we want to maintain. That said, I think those of us who have been in politics for many years have also seen an increase in disturbing and threatening rhetoric—whether it’s online or in person—we’ve seen public figures, particularly women, who have suffered significant harassment, both as politicians as well as journalists”. Freeland’s video has many questioning whether Canadian politicians need an increased security detail. And this isn’t a new issue — someone threw gravel at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a campaign event during the most recent federal election, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was verbally abused by protesters at a campaign rally in Ontario this spring, and MPs who live in the Ottawa-Gatineau region was warned by a top House of Commons security official about potential dangers during the trucker convoy. Former Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard Minister Bernadette Jordan told CTV News Channel on Monday that she needed 24-hour security at her home during her tenure as minister. He said while many wonder why Canadian politicians don’t have security clearances, they should really be asking why they would need them in the first place. “It’s really, really scary to see this kind of behavior, that it’s okay to harass someone like that, that it’s okay to threaten someone without repercussions,” Jordan said. “It makes you wonder: why pursue politics? And that’s something that really bothers me, because we want really good people to run,” he also said. “It’s extremely important to have people who are committed, who want to help their country, who want to help their communities, but then you treat them like that and you wonder why people would do that.”
