Calgary Liberal MP airs voicemails with death threats, racist and homophobic slurs against him and family
Calgary Skyview Liberal Member of Parliament George Chahal is giving the public a glimpse of the vitriol his staff members have to deal with at his constituency office.
“It's deeply concerning that folks are using this bigotry and hate speech to target politicians like myself,” Chahal told CTV News on Sunday.
The evening before, Chahal posted two videos to his social media. They made up more than four minutes of voicemails he says were left at his Calgary office by one unidentified man.
“Hey, I just wanted to say that you’re a stupid, ugly fa**** that deserves to be exterminated,” the caller says in one.
“The Liberal party is a bunch of traitor fa****s just like you and I hope your entire family dies, you ugly fa****.”
Chahal’s staff say the series of voicemails were left in the course of one evening recently.
In a second voicemail, the caller describes his hope to have all Liberals die, including their families.
“Hi, I just want to say all the Liberals deserve their families to be exterminated,” the unidentified man said.
“You’re all a bunch of rat ugly traitors that sold us out to China, so kindly hang yourself. Thank you.”
Calgary Police Service said it’s aware of the incident after a complaint was filed on Saturday.
The report says the phone calls were received in March.
Chahal, who served on city council, says the attacks against him have grown exponentially since being elected as an MP.
“This is the worst I've seen over the last few years, and the level of hatred and discrimination towards elected officials,” said Chahal.
“It's got to stop.”
Another voicemail targeted Chahal racially.
“Hey, George. Just a reminder you’re a ugly trash n***** fa**** traitor and I hope your entire family receives what’s getting to them with corporal punishment one day,” the caller says.
“You should all be hanged and exterminated for your treason, thank you.”
One political scientist at Mount Royal University says the attacks against politicians are not new, but the ability to record and share them is.
“It is extremely vile. It displays a profound ignorance and simple stupidity,” said Keith Brownsey.
“Not much going on up there to use that kind of language.”
Brownsey adds that Albertans' distaste for the Liberal Party of Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a small minority across the country.
“Maybe 25 per cent of the population has this visceral disdain for the Liberal Party, but the rest of the population just doesn't care,” he said.
If police are able to find out who the caller is, Brownsey added: “That type of language is hate speech and it can be prosecuted."
“It's also criminal harassment. I mean, he's threatening to kill people.”
In other voicemails, Chahal is told to get out of the country.
Canadian Member of Parliament George Chahal speaks to CTV News Calgary on May 13, 2023, about hateful and violent voicemails that were left at his office.
Chahal says he has had to outfit his constituency office with several security measures including cameras, and metal bars on windows and doors.
He says when he first campaigned for the position, his daughter and niece were being followed home and attacks against him and his family began to grow.
Chahal has been an MP since 2021, following his one term on city council.
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