ManitobaThe Winnipeg Police Service is investigating a series of fires at NDP cabinet minister Bernadette Smith’s office in the North End.Series of fires at office of Point Douglas MLA Smith, windows smashed at office of St. John’s MLA FontaineBartley Kives · CBC News · Posted: Sep 23, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoScorch marks at the rear of NDP MLA Bernadette Smith’s Point Douglas constituency office. The Winnipeg Fire-Paramedic Service responded to four fires at Smith’s office between the beginning of August and mid-September. (Bartley Kives/CBC)The Winnipeg Police Service is investigating a series of fires at NDP cabinet minister Bernadette Smith’s office in the North End.Since the beginning of August, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service has responded to four fires at Smith’s constituency office at the corner of Selkirk Avenue and Arlington Street, WFPS spokesperson Kristin Cuma said in a statement.She deferred further comment about the fires to the Winnipeg Police Service.The police service’s major crimes unit is investigating the fires at Smith’s office, Const. Dani McKinnon said Monday in a statement.The police did not say whether they believe the fires were random or targeted at Smith.Smith, who was first elected as the NDP MLA for Point Douglas in 2017, declined an interview request. She currently serves as the minister for housing, addictions and homelessness in Premier Wab Kinew’s cabinet.A spokesperson for the minister said a police investigation into “recent vandalism” at her constituency office is ongoing.”Services remain open, which can be scheduled through phone and email,” Ryan Jamula said in a statement.On a recent Monday evening, scorch marks were visible at the base of the Selkirk Avenue facade of Smith’s office, where melted plastic was stuck to the sidewalk.At the rear of the building, there are several scorches on the wall and as well as at the base of utility connections. The rear windows of the building are also boarded up.There were no scorch marks or other evidence of recent fires at neighbouring commercial buildings.Windows smashed at Fontaine’s officeSmith is not the only NDP cabinet minister whose constituency office suffered damage.Windows were recently smashed at the Main Street office of NDP Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, the MLA for St. John’s, a spokesperson for the premier’s office said Monday.Fontaine recently apologized for sharing a post on social media about the killing of Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk.Vandalism at constituency offices for MLAs is far from rare. Former NDP premier Greg Selinger had the windows smashed at his office in 2013.Graffiti at former PC MLA Rochelle Squires’ office in 2016 led former premier Brian Pallister to accuse the NDP of encouraging violence.Smith’s office on Selkirk Avenue remains open, her spokesperson says. (Bartley Kives/CBC)
Winnipeg police investigate 4 fires at NDP cabinet minister’s constituency office
