Calgary-Peigan MLA Tanya Fir is apologizing after a voicemail surfaced in which she appears to greet a constituent with the kind of language usually reserved for rush-hour traffic and malfunctioning printers.
The audio, posted online by columnist Doug Firby and reportedly recorded on Nov. 10, features Fir returning a call with a warm, personal touch – if your idea of warmth includes a sharp, unexpected expletive. While the context of the outburst is unclear, experts in political communications say it’s the most honest thing an Alberta politician has said in months.
Fir quickly issued an apology, explaining that the message was never meant for public ears. Constituents, meanwhile, are torn: some demand professionalism, while others admit they’d also swear if they had to return political calls all day.
Opposition critics have called the voicemail “unacceptable,” though one conceded it was “refreshingly relatable.”
