A fire occurred at the constituency office of Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine in West Kildonan early on Tuesday morning, following a recent incident where the windows were broken. The Winnipeg Police Service major crimes unit is conducting an investigation after firefighters responded to the St. Johns MLA’s office on Main St. around 5 a.m. The fire was brought under control by 5:30 a.m., with no individuals found inside the building, and no injuries reported. Damage assessment details were not immediately available.
The fire at Fontaine’s office took place shortly after the windows were smashed, mirroring a series of fires targeting the nearby constituency office of Point Douglas MLA Bernadette Smith, who also serves as the provincial housing minister. Last week, Winnipeg police revealed that their major crimes unit was looking into the fires at Smith’s office. Fontaine expressed concern over the vandalism incidents at both offices.
Premier Wab Kinew’s office spokesperson labeled the incident as a “serious matter,” refraining from further comments as the fire remains under police scrutiny. Notwithstanding, Kinew addressed the issue of escalating political divisions during a speech at The Forks’ Oodena Circle for the Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s annual Orange Shirt Healing Walk, urging Manitobans to promote peace and unity.
Kinew emphasized the importance of everyone feeling safe at work and condemned acts of vandalism and political violence, emphasizing the need for a civil society devoid of such behaviors. City Councillor Scott Gillingham advocated resolving differences through democratic means, urging Winnipeggers to utilize the ballot box for conflict resolution.
In response to the fire incident, Patrick Allard, a former election opponent of Fontaine organizing a rally for her removal, expressed a desire for harsh punishment if the fire was a deliberate act. While the cause of the fire remains undisclosed by the police, University of Manitoba Professor Christopher Adams noted a concerning trend of increasing threats and violence targeting Canadian politicians, including those in Manitoba, over the past decade.
Adams highlighted the disturbing nature of a First Nations politician’s office being targeted on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, expressing apprehension over the potential for further escalation of threats and violence in the political landscape.
