Vandals in Lindsay ransacked the constituency office of Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Labour overnight Tuesday, hours after the provincial government rolled back labour reforms passed by the previous Liberal government.
In a tweet, Premier Doug Ford said someone broke into the office on Lindsay Street North and vandalized it. Scott is the MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. The front door and windows were smashed and furniture overturned. A wall was spray painted “Attack Workers We Fight Back $15.”
WATCH: Laurie Scott talks to reporters about her vandalized office
“These actions have no place in our democracy,” Ford wrote. “Thank you to the local police officers and the OPP, who are now investigating this very serious incident.”
The vandalism came as Scott on Tuesday announced the province was capping minimum wage at $14 an hour until 2020 and reducing the number of personal leave days currently provided to workers to eight from 10. Minimum wage was due to rise to $15 an hour on Jan. 1, 2019, under reforms that had been passed by the previous government.
A property manager says the damage was discovered around midnight when a security alarm was triggered. Damage is estimated at $15,000.
City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service is investigating, noting they were informed of the vandalism around 11:30 p.m.
In a press conference on Wednesday morning, Scott also said she has received threats and death threats.
“This type of vandalism – crossing the line – is not going to be accepted by anyone,” Scott told reporters at Queen’s Park in Toronto. “I need to protect the workers in our office from this intimidation and bullying.
“I believe in democratic and peaceful protest and debate, but we will not tolerate vandalism, intimidation or bullying.”
More to come.