Online petition aims to take down Maxime Bernier billboard

A billboard advertising the party of controversial political leader Maxime Bernier is drawing ire in the City of Calgary.

The sign, posted on the side of a building in Hillhurst, has an election message from the leader of the People's Party of Canada which states "say NO to mass immigration."

Some people have already taken notice of the sign on social media, including the Liberal MP for Calgary-Centre, Kent Hehr.

What absolute garbage.

There is no place for this in our city, province, or country. #yyc #yyclove. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/khYQAH4Ue7

— Kent Hehr ���� (@kenthehr) August 24, 2019

Another Calgary resident, who also took issue with the message, started an online petition to push to have the billboard removed.

The advertising is being paid for by a third-party group called True North Strong & Free Advertising Corp., which is run by Frank Smeenk, the head of a Toronto mining exploration company.

The firm spent $60,000 to put up the billboards in select cities in Canada.

(With files from the Canadian Press)