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Liberal MP Salma Zahid says escalating violent rhetoric against elected officials, including a newspaper column targeting NDP Leader Avi Lewis, puts all MPs at risk. Her warning follows an arson attack at her Scarborough home in August and two recent arrests for death threats against Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Liberal MP Salma Zahid says she is concerned about escalating violent rhetoric directed at Members of Parliament, including the leader of another party. Zahid, who represents Scarborough Centre, spoke out this week about a newspaper column calling for action against NDP Leader Avi Lewis over his views on Israel.
Violent Rhetoric Puts MPs at Risk
She says that kind of rhetoric puts Lewis at risk. In August, a man was filmed setting vehicles on fire outside Zahid's home in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. Police believe the incident was an arson attack. Zahid says she now has 24-7 security at her home.
She believes the incident could be related to rising rhetoric against her fellow MPs. Zahid's comments come after two recent arrests for death threats against Prime Minister Mark Carney. She says those incidents are symptoms of a broader problem. The threats and the arson attack together point to a dangerous trend, she added.
Zahid is calling on Canadians to reject violent rhetoric about their elected officials. She says doing so is necessary to preserve vigorous debate. She warned that allowing such rhetoric to go unchallenged threatens the safety of all MPs, not just those in one party. Zahid made the remarks ahead of attending caucus in Ottawa.
Threats Raise Alarm About Politician Safety
A photograph taken Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, shows her speaking with reporters before that caucus meeting. The Canadian Press image by Adrian Wyld captured the moment. The MP's warning follows a string of incidents that have raised alarm about the safety of politicians in Canada. In August, the arson attack at her home marked a serious escalation.
More recently, the arrests for death threats against Carney underscored the growing threat. Zahid said the column targeting Lewis is part of the same problem. She argued that calls for action against a party leader over political views only increase the danger. She urged Canadians to tone down the violent language used about elected officials.
She stressed that preserving vigorous debate does not require violent rhetoric. Instead, she said, Canadians should reject such language to protect democracy and the people who serve in it.
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CTVToronto:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Federal Government Liberal Conservative NDP Salma Zahid Violent Rhetoric Arson Attack Avi Lewis Mark Carney
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