Osoyoos’ Sy Murseli is upset that vandals have destroyed seven election signs over the past week that were erected by the campaign team for South Okanagan-West Kootenay Liberal candidate Connie Denesiuk. Murseli said three big signs were totally destroyed and another four broken in half. (Keith Lacey photo)
More than a half dozen elections signs erected in support of Liberal candidate Connie Denesiuk in the upcoming federal election have been destroyed in Osoyoos over the past week and Sy Murseli is not impressed.
Murseli is a longtime Osoyoos resident who has ran for a place on Osoyoos town council on numerous occasions over the past 20 years and is an outspoken advocate for democracy after growing up under oppressive political regimes in Eastern Europe, before emigrating to Canada many years ago.
“Three big signs have been smashed to bits and another four were cut in half,” said Murseli, who has been donating many hours towards the Denesiuk campaign over the past several weeks.
Murseli had helped erect more than 20 election signs for Denesiuk’s campaign over the past month and to see seven, or one third of them, destroyed is very discouraging.
Denesiuk, who lives in Summerland, is the Liberal candidate in the new South Okanagan West Kootenay (SOWK) federal riding, She is being opposed by NDP candidate Richard Cannings, Conservative candidate Marshall Neufeld and independent Brian Gray.
Murseli said he’s disappointed that anyone would resort to vandalism as a way of voicing a political statement.
“Whoever is responsible for this vandalism should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. “This is not the right way to voice a political opinion. If you disagree with a political party of candidate, you have the right in this great country to express your opinion at the ballot box on election day.’
The vandalism took part over two or three days late last week, said Murseli, who spent a couple of hours replacing signs after speaking with Denesiuk about what had happened.
Murseli said he was considering taking this matter to the Osoyoos RCMP detachment, but said he realizes the chances of catching the culprits are slim and none without any kind of video evidence.
Murseli said he decided to support Denesiuk during the current campaign as a tribute to Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the former Liberal Prime Minister.
“I have great admiration for Mr. Trudeau,” he said. “I watched him during a debate not long after I arrived in Canada many years ago and I’ve been a huge admirer ever since.”
Murseli said he hopes that anyone who witnesses future vandalism would do their civic duty and call the RCMP to report the incident as quickly as possible.
“Vandalism like this is certainly against the law and I hope whoever is responsible is caught and exposed for what they’ve done.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
