Town manager facing backlash over tweet

By J.W. Schnarr and Nikki Jamieson
Southern Alberta Newspapers

A Town of Taber manager may be experiencing a little karma of his own after posting a tweet calling the fires in Fort McMurray “Karmic.”

The Town of Taber and Lethbridge Public Library condemned a Twitter post on a private account Wednesday belonging to Taber Information Technology Manager and former NDP candidate Tom Moffatt.

“Karmic #climatechange fire burns CDN oilsands city,” the post read.

The tweet was later deleted, but not before it was screen captured and shared widely across the Internet.

The post resulted in a statement from the Lethbridge Public Library that read:

“The Lethbridge Public Library Board wishes to unequivocally state that a tweet sent yesterday by volunteer library board member Tom Moffatt, on a personal account and concerning his view on the Fort McMurray fire, does not in any manner reflect the view of the Lethbridge Public Library Board or the Lethbridge Public Library staff or volunteers.”

The Town of Taber has issued a similar statement:

“The Town of Taber apologizes unreservedly. We are discussing this matter with the employee.”

The town and the library board also stated their support for the people of Fort McMurray.

A description of the Twitter account reads: “One man standing up against climate change.”

The Alberta government has declared a provincial state of emergency with a mandatory evacuation order in effect for the Fort McMurray area, affecting approximately 80,000 people.

Moffat recently apologized for his tweet, saying that it was not his intent to say that Fort McMurray deserved the fire.

My apologies 4 a recent tweet interpreted as attacking people in Fort Mac. Not my intent. These people have my full support & sympathy. #yql

— Tom Moffatt (@tmoffattndp) May 5, 2016