The federal Liberal candidate in Simcoe North, Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, has become a victim of vandalism.
On Tuesday in Tiny Township, multiple election signs belonging to Wesley-Esquimaux were found to be vandalized with swastikas along Highway 12 North. Wesley-Esquimaux is unsure what might have prompted the vandalism.
“If I knew why I could heal the ills of the world,” she said.
“There are people who are angry because they can’t find work, or they are not well, or they have mental health issues…there are people who have everything going on, so, it’s hard to say.”
Wesley-Esquimaux says seeing the vandalism made her feel sad.
“It’s too bad that people have to resort to things like that to express themselves. They hide behind anonymity, they are too afraid to come forward to say what they need to say, so they use hate," she said.
Wesley-Esquimaux says the Liberal party has no leads on who might have committed the senseless act of vandalism.
“Apparently Aurora and other places have seen things like this as well. I think we learned some awful things from the United States when there was a president in charge who fostered some of that, and I think it’s awakened the unpleasant sides of people and they think they can say or do whatever they want,” she said.
Wesley-Esquimaux says there is a lack of stability in society today, but enough to keep it balanced.
While she has no intentions of asking the OPP to investigate the incident as a hate crime, Wesley-Esquimaux believes the Liberal party pursue an investigation.
“I’ve worked with people who have been traumatized, I’ve worked in an Indigenous community where there is so much hurt...my husband is a social worker for God sakes and is always talking to people who are hurting,” she said.
“I understand that people suffer, so I’m not too worried about it.”
