Fearful of going out in public, ‘toxic’ politics forces Oakville/Burlington MP from office

Pam Damoff, Liberal MP for Oakville-North Burlington, says she is getting out of politics because of toxic hyperpartisanism that has made her fearful to go out in public.

In a letter posted on her Facebook page today, Damoff said she won’t be seeking re-election in the next federal election but still hopes to work on behalf of her community.

“Sadly, I feel politics is no longer the best venue for me to do that in,” she said in her message to her constituents.

First elected to the House of Commons in 2015, she was returned to office in both the 2019 and 2021 federal votes. Before that, she was a councillor for the Town of Oakville.

In her message, she said the tone of politics and public discourse has deteriorated and that the public has lost trust in public institutions because it is driven by misinformation and lies.

She said the use of social media has made the political arena “toxic” and has eliminated constructive conversations and exacerbated the differences between people and parties.

“The threats and misogyny I have experienced as a Member of Parliament are such that I often fear going out in public, and that is not a sustainable or healthy way to live,” she said.

She went on to say it was time for her to change this chapter of her life. She said she will continue to represent the riding until the next election which must be held by October of 2025 or sooner. Recently it was announced the Oakville-North Burlington riding will disappear to be replaced by two new ridings which has helped Damoff make her decision.

In her message, the MP listed her many accomplishments and thanked the voters in the riding for their support over the years.