An Ontario Liberal MP is facing criticism for an X post politicizing the Jasper wildfire by linking it to “climate denying conservatism.”
The fire inside Jasper National Park reached the town of Jasper, Alta. Wednesday evening, with structures and hotels in the town catching fire.
Parks Canada said Thursday afternoon that “multiple structures, including a number of businesses and homes, in and around the town of Jasper, have been lost.”
As the disaster unfolded Wednesday night, Windsor—Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk posted a politically charged message on X.
“President Joe Biden tonight called climate change an existential threat. We see it in Jasper. As hearts break for Albertans, we pledge support. Get folks safe,” Kusmierczyk wrote. “But let’s also be real with each other: this is the world that climate denying conservatism will leave our children.”
The post led to instant backlash, with many calling out his attempts to politicize the tragedy.
“In the middle of a community being evacuated and firefighters and first responders risking their lives fighting to stop a town being burnt down, all this Liberal Parliamentary Secretary can think of is how to turn a tragedy into a partisan attack,” Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan wrote on X. “Pathetic.”
Conservative MP Chris Warkentin similarly called the comments “pathetic,” telling the Liberal MP he was choosing to not offer anything constructive.
“You should be supporting efforts to protect people and property rather than making partisan shots,” he wrote. “End this nonsense and support those in danger!”
Conservative MP Gerald Soroka also called out Kusmierczyk’s post.
Columnist Spencer Fernando asked “why do the Liberals tweet stuff like this when they are currently in power and have been for almost nine years? It makes no sense. What is the argument here? What is the point he is trying to make? Why exploit a tragedy like this?”
Rebel News founder Ezra Levant had some strong words for Kusmierczyk, calling his comments “ghoulish propaganda by a desperate Trudeau Liberal trying to score political points out of a tragedy. Reminds me of the Westboro Baptist Church holding political protests at funerals.”
Western Standard president Derek Fildebrant told Kusmierczyk to “shove it.”
Kusmierczyk’s office did not return a request for comment.