What to know
- Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East MP Salma Zahid’s car was destroyed in a fire at her home early Thursday morning, in an incident Toronto police are investigating as suspected arson.
- Three vehicles were damaged in the fire, which Toronto Fire Services extinguished. No injuries have been reported and police have not identified a suspect.
- Zahid says she and her family are safe but shaken by the incident, which she described as “very traumatizing.”
- The MP has closed her constituency office temporarily over safety concerns and says she has provided police with camera footage to assist with the investigation.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and mayoral candidate Brad Bradford have all condemned the incident and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Canadian politicians are responding after Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East MP Salma Zahid’s car was destroyed in a fire at her home, prompting a suspected arson investigation.
Zahid confirmed the incident in a statement shared on social media on Thursday, saying “an individual” set her car and another vehicle on fire. The MP said she and her family are safe, but both vehicles were left destroyed.
“I don’t want to speculate on a possible motive. We will await the results of the investigation. But such attacks are unacceptable and will not deter me from my work serving Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East,” she said.
Toronto police told Now Toronto officers responded to a fire call in the Bellamy Road North and Lawrence Avenue East, which it confirmed to be the MPs residence, at around 1:21 a.m. on Thursday. Toronto Fire Services extinguished the fire, but three vehicles were damaged as a result.
Police say the incident is being treated as a suspected arson, but no injuries have been reported and no suspect information is available for now.
‘Really traumatizing for the family’
Speaking with reporters on Thursday afternoon, Zahid thanked Toronto police and firefighters, as well as her neighbours for their help following the incident.
She continued to reinforce that she didn’t want to speculate on a motive, but revealed she is scared for her and her staff’s safety.
“I really cannot say anything right now because I don’t want to intervene or make any assumptions. I am very sure that police will get to the bottom of this and the person who has done that,” she said, adding that she has provided police with camera footage to support the investigation.
“Right now, I am concerned for my safety and my staff’s safety and my family’s safety. Today, I’ve closed my constituency office to make sure that I don’t put the staff at risk.”
The MP said her youngest son was the one to first notice the fire and call 911, along with neighbours in the area. She said the situation was traumatizing for her family, saying they weren’t even able to sleep as they dealt with the incident from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m.
“We are trying to get through it and hopefully all of you will provide us some privacy…because it’s very traumatizing for the family,” she added.
Politicians respond
Prime Minister Mark Carney reacted to the incident, referring to it as “a cowardly act of violence and intimidation.”
“It is unacceptable. It is not who we are as Canadians,” he wrote on X.
“I’m relieved Salma and her family are safe. The Toronto Police have my full support as they search for the criminal or criminals responsible and ensure they are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also shared a comment, similarly calling out the incident and offering support to authorities as investigations unfold.
“Thank you to Toronto Police and Toronto Fire for your quick response and investigations into this incident. Cowardly acts of violence and intimation cannot be tolerated and the police have my support in finding those responsible,” she said on X.
Ontario’s NDP Leader Marit Stiles also shared a comment online, calling the incident “deeply disturbing.”
“No one in this country should ever face violence or intimidation at their own home, and whoever did this must be found and held fully to account. My thoughts are with Salma, her family, and her staff, and my thanks to the neighbours and first responders who acted quickly last night,” she posted on X.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also shared his support for Zahid online, and called on authorities to catch the suspect.
“The thug responsible must be caught and brought to justice for this cowardly attack,” he said.
Mayoral candidate Brad Bradford also commented on the incident on social media, similarly condemning what he called “an attack on public service.”
“What happened overnight at MP Salma Zahid’s home is deeply disturbing… No one who serves this city or this country should ever face violence or intimidation at their own home. An attack like this is an attack on public service itself,” he said.
