Alberta United Conservative Party MLA Scott Sinclair (Lesser Slave Lake) said he feels compelled to speak out against inappropriate and inaccurate comments made against him by NDP MLAs and social media users. These comments have made the past few days stressful for Sinclair. “As a result of these inaccurate comments and posts, I’ve received threats of violence, racist insults, attempts to assassinate my character, and worse, question my ancestry,” said Sinclair in a Monday speech in the Alberta Legislature. He said this “has triggered me and opened wounds of old trauma I thought I had left behind.” While he is indigenous, one social media user said he is an Uncle Tom because of his actions, being a conservative, and having a white wife. Another social media user called for him to be scalped. To make an example of him, a social media user said he should be dragged in the streets. When he was younger, he said comments such as these were made to him by parents, coaches, and his high school teacher. Despite this, he said he “chooses not to let any of these moments define me.” While these comments were hurtful, Sinclair pointed out he has large shoulders and thick skin. “I would caution that every member of this house treat every indigenous issue with the same amount of compassion I try to,” he said. “Lastly, Mr. Speaker, for anyone keeping score, I am the son of a residential school survivor, I am First Nations, and my treaty number if anyone’s curious is 4500463701.”
