RCMP in North Vancouver said they’re investigating after an explosion at an NDP MLA’s office.
Police said they first received reports of a “loud bang” in the 100 block of West 1st Street around 2:45 a.m. on June 27. Officers attended the area but did not find anything suspicious.
A second incident happened around 4:15 a.m. on June 27 at MLA Bowinn Ma’s North Vancouver-Lonsdale office on West Esplanade Avenue and Chesterfield Avenue, RCMP said.
Officers responded immediately and, upon searching the area, located evidence of damage to the front door of an office building in the 200 block of West Esplanade Avenue indicative of an explosive device detonation.
Officers noting the blast breached the front door and damaged the door frame.
Cpl. Mansoor Sahak told reporters that police called in an explosive disposal unit. He said the investigation is ongoing and police have not determined a motive.
“I don’t know if it’s politically motivated. We’re not calling it that, but we’re investigating all possible avenues.”
He said following a police investigation of the building it was deemed there was no further danger to the public.
RCMP said they were asking local businesses for any video surveillance footage to help the investigation. They’ve also asked anyone with dashcam footage of the area from 2:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. to contact them at 604-985-1311 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Ma said her office was closed for the day.
“All meetings and appointments at my Constituency Office are cancelled for the day due to a security incident that occurred in the early hours of this morning,” she said in a post on the X social media platform.
She said that no one was injured but added that “incidents like this can be quite frightening.”
Ma said she appreciated the concern expressed by community members and the officers who are investigating, and added that she could not provide further information due to the ongoing police investigation.
Premier David Eby said that everyone has a right to a safe workplace.
“No matter who you are, or what you do for a living, you have a right to safety at work,” he said in a June 27 post on X.
He said his thoughts were with Ma, her staff, and the community.
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said every member of the Legislative Assembly should stand with Ma.
“The idea that someone would set off a device to damage or somehow threaten an MLA’s CA office is deeply concerning,” he said in a post on X. “No one in BC should feel scared to go in to work.”
Ma was first elected in 2017 and has served as the minister of emergency management and climate readiness.
