Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard is urging kindness and understanding following a lengthy protest at her home in Grande Prairie over the weekend.
In a post on Facebook Monday, Allard says a group that eventually grew to upwards of 30 people showed up at her private residence on Sunday, with one member of the protest bringing what looks to be a stand with a noose declaring ‘no to masks, end the gov’t, hang ‘em all. Allard says while no one was home at the time of the protest, as she was en route to Edmonton to take part in the fall sitting at the Alberta Legislature, the incident was simply unacceptable.
“I feel heartbreak… because what I see behind this act is a growing fear that is gripping our community,” she says. “I think about my neighbours, the pre-schools in the Cul-De-Sac, they’re all excited to go trick or treating, and then there is a big hullabaloo,” she adds.
Grande Prairie—Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin has thrown his support behind his provincial colleague, saying while he shares the frustration many people have experienced over the last 20 months, incidents like this are simply not acceptable.
“I believe that when events like this happen it makes it very easy for the general public to lose all sympathy for the protesters and their views,” he says. “The vast majority of people who are upset with the government’s actions would not want to be associated with those who targeted Tracy in this way outside her private home.”
The Grande Prairie RCMP says while officers did arrive on the scene shortly after the protest began, no enforcement measures were taken.