Regardless of political stripe, MPs say they're fielding vile calls from belligerent constituents
People bullying, berating staff make up bulk of calls, say Ontario MPs Karen Vecchio and Peter Fragiskatos
Two London, Ont.-area MPs from different sides of the aisle say the number of calls staff are fielding from angry, belligerent constituents who berate and bully them has been steadily rising since the pandemic began. And it's peaked in the last number of weeks.
"Since the convoy movement materialized, we've seen an increase in the number of calls that have been just completely unacceptable," said Peter Fragiskatos, a Liberal representing London North Centre. They make up at least half of the calls his staff are fielding right now, he said.
"Not just belligerent, but vile, outright," he said. "We're having people calling our staff terrible things. Inexcusable. Nazis, Communists, traitors because of pandemic restrictions."
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If an MP is threatened by a constituent, they can report that to the Parliamentary Protective Service. Fragisktatos has done so a handful of times since the pandemic began, and has also called local police after someone repeatedly tried to break in to his constituency office before Christmas, according to his staff.
These types of calls are happening more at Karen Vecchio's office too.
"Most of the calls that we're getting right now are people who are absolutely just yelling, saying inappropriate things — so much misinformation," said Vecchio, the Conservative MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London.
There's a general mistrust of all politicians, regardless of which party they serve, said Vecchio.
"I think everybody is being brushed with the same brush. That we're all just politicians.
"We have a zero tolerance policy when a constituent calls and issues language that can't be accepted," said Fragiskatos who said his staff have been instructed not to serve anyone who is hateful and inappropriate.
"It's one thing for constituents to call and voice opposition to a particular policy," he said. "That's completely appropriate and necessary in a democracy, for people to embrace criticism of government.
"It's quite another when belligerence is the rule of the day."
1/ Let me be very clear on a matter: It’s never acceptable to berate or bully my staff. If you call our office and yell at staff, threaten us, suggest violence, call us “Nazis,” “Communists,” Traitors” or use derogatory language, then you will not be provided service. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ldnont?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ldnont</a>
—@pfragiskatosIs Canada a divided country?
Many have pointed to the protesters set up in parts of downtown Ottawa over the past three weeks, and to the people who call MPs' offices spouting unacceptable language as evidence Canada is a divided nation.
Fragiskatos blames the Trump era for ushering in a political climate in Canada that's allowed for the vitriolic rhetoric infiltrating his phone lines.
"I wouldn't want to overstate those divisions. We have very high rates of vaccination, among the highest in the world. There is unity in that sense.
"But we also have a minority of individuals that have taken it upon themselves to embrace a concept of freedom and free speech that's so self-centred that it has nothing to do with freedom at all."
"It's very difficult to stay united, I recognize," said Vecchio about the restrictions and lockdowns this country has seen over the last two years. "But let's not continue with the division right now.
"People have to be listened to," said Vecchio who said she's willing to talk to anyone who is fair and respectful. "I think that's the biggest problem we have right now is people do not feel that they're being listened to."
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