Borderland MLA addresses social media post

A PC MLA added a subsequent post to his Facebook page after receiving what he called “thoughtful feedback”.

Borderland MLA Josh Guenter responded to a collision in his constituency that took the life of a mother and child.

The incident happened west of Altona on Nov. 16, when a semi ran a stop sign and collided with a southbound SUV.

The SUV was driven by a 35-year-old female who was with her eight-year-old daughter.

The mother was declared dead on the scene while the daughter died in hospital.

The semi was driven by a 25-year-old Brampton, ON man who was later identified as Navjeet Singh.

Guenter responded to the collision the same day, before the other driver had been named, on his Facebook page called “Josh Guenter for Borderland”.

His post expressed sorrow for the family and expressed his wish that God would give them grace and strength.

But he also lashed out at the semi driver, saying he was “outraged at the callous disregard for human life by this driver”, also using quotations to say he was from “Brampton, Ontario”.

Guenter stated that he hoped he faces the full brunt of the law “and that if he is not a Canadian citizen that he is deported.”

“We need a crackdown on cheap foreign labour in the trucking industry, and especially on the truck driving schools,” he wrote.

Guenter said the tragedy is a repeat of Humboldt, adding it mirrors an incident he witnessed near Kane last fall, where “a foreign truck driver failed to stop for a school bus as two small children were disembarking.”

“Absolutely outrageous,” he concluded. “Send them back!”

Two days later, Guenter, who refused a media request for an interview through his communications team, had a softer tone.

Once again he mourned the loss of the victims, but also included the driver in his thoughts.

“Our hearts also go out to the driver involved, who will carry the weight of this devastating incident for the rest of their life,” he said.

He also tried to explain his earlier post.

“My intention was never to target individuals, but to focus our attention on the serious issue of road safety in our community and accountability to prevent tragedies like these,” he wrote. “There is no doubt that we need to address driver training and dangerous behaviour on our roads, but for now, we will keep the family and the driver in our prayers during this difficult time.”

On Nov. 21, RCMP issued a press release saying the driver, who was charged with two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death as well as obstructing a peace officer could no longer be located. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued.

Guenter shared the RCMP press release on his Facebook page but did not include any commentary.