“Following an interview with CFRA on harassment faced by female politicians, Minister MacLeod will once again receive police protection in Ottawa due to threatening emails and an unexplained mischievous incident to her personal vehicle in Ottawa,” Rowland said.

“We continue to condemn threats and verbal harassment against politicians, and want to thank the Ontario Provincial Police and Ottawa Police Service for their ongoing measures to ensure her safety,” Rowland stated. “Minister MacLeod’s focus remains on a full economic recovery on Ontario’s heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries… Currently and for the past seven weeks Minister MacLeod has been travelling the province to reinvigorate consumer confidence in Ontario’s tourism sector following COVID-19.”

MacLeod was also the victim of threatening emails and harassment last year that led to criminal charges and a conviction. There is no information to suggest the cases are connected.

Police have yet to confirm whether the latest incident is under criminal investigation. Advertisement Article content continued

Ottawa police directed all questions regarding MacLeod to the OPP.

“The OPS has protocols with both RCMP and OPP to support their operations on all such matters,” Const. Amy Gagnon stated Thursday.

OPP spokesman Bill Dickson on Thursday declined to comment “on specific allegations made on social media, nor can I comment on issues related to a specific individual.”

Dickson said OPP can confirm “There was apparently an incident in which air had been let out of a tire. There have been no arrests or charges in relation to this incident,” he said.

In a statement Thursday, Dudas said she would not be deterred by the act of vandalism at her house and voiced her support for both McKenna and MacLeod.

“Acts such as the rock thrown through my living room window, the hateful attack on Minister Catherine McKenna’s constituency office, and the threats made toward Minister Lisa MacLeod, as well as all the other reported and unreported incidents of violence directed at women in public office absolutely have to end.”

McKenna called the threats to MacLeod “totally unacceptable” in a Twitter post Thursday. “Standing with Lisa MacLeod and politicians across party lines who face this,” she wrote. “We need better measures to stop the threats and abuse. From more security to holding social media platforms responsible for spreading hate and lies.”

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath said in a Twitter post Thursday the recent string of attacks and harassing behaviour “is a disturbing reminder that woman leaders in every sector are still subjected far too often to violent, abusive behaviour.