Political frustration likely the reason for vandalized signs, says Alberta candidate

By: The Canadian Press Posted: 2:54 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 14, 2025 Last Modified: 4:41 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 14, 2025

SUNDRE - A federal NDP candidate in central Alberta who had her signs vandalized with slurs believes the focus was not on her but on what she calls "greater political issues."

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SUNDRE - A federal NDP candidate in central Alberta who had her signs vandalized with slurs believes the focus was not on her but on what she calls "greater political issues."

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SUNDRE – A federal NDP candidate in central Alberta who had her signs vandalized with slurs believes the focus was not on her but on what she calls “greater political issues.”

Avni Soma, the candidate in the Yellowhead constituency, said her office learned of the vandalism through emails from Sundre residents and the town itself.

Soma did not say which slurs were used but said she was surprised this was the only time it had happened.

Avni Soma, the federal NDP candidate in the new Yellowhead electoral district, is seen with one of her election signs in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Avni Soma ** MANDATORY CREDIT **

“I don’t know the intention behind the person doing it, but I don’t feel it was directed at me,” she said Monday. “Personally, I feel that it was directed at greater political issues.

“Politics definitely incites a lot of emotional rage in humans.”

RCMP have said they are looking into multiple reports of NDP election signs being spray-painted with what they call “discriminatory slurs.”

Police spokesperson Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said Monday there has been no update on the investigation and nobody has yet been arrested or charged.

Soma said whoever did it was likely taking out political frustrations on her.

“I’ve been door-knocking for over seven months now … so I have heard many times at the door that the NDP propped up the Liberals,” she said, noting that this type of divisiveness has seemingly become normalized.

“That’s not what I feel humans need to do. We need to come together in our shared humanity and spin a narrative that is around compassion and around caring for each other instead of dividing each other.”

She added she’s grateful the town and its residents view the move as unacceptable and that a local business owner volunteered to clean up the signs.

— By Aaron Sousa in Edmonton

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2025.