The recent vandalism to the LAV III memorial beside the Nose Creek Valley Museum has drawn ire and disgust from Airdrie veterans and citizens alike.  

Now you can add Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards to the list of people upset over the act.  Richards calls any defacing of a war memorial "cowardly" and "despicable." 

"Like everyone in our community, I absolutely condemn this.  I think it's a despicable act of cowardice. This memorial is meant to commemorate the sacrifice and the service of our men and women in uniform.  They gave everything for our freedom and for someone to go and do that damage to that important memorial is just despicable."

The LAV III was unveiled in 2016, becoming the first LAV III Monument to be placed in western Canada.  The memorial was dedicated to the 156 Canadians killed during Canada's 12-year mission in Afghanistan.

Richards says he was deeply saddened and disappointed by the news that it had been defaced.  He's taking that sadness and putting it to work, pushing for harsher punishment for anyone who defaces a war memorial.

"Looking at the penalties if these people are caught what they might face, I just feel like there's maybe a need to increase these penalties.  That's something that I want to take forward federally to see if we can make a push for that."

Richards says while he doesn't have a specific proposal for what the penalties should be, he knows where to start.

"I think we should examine this.  We should look at this.  Maybe we could see what's being done in some of the other countries, maybe what they do in the United States, maybe what they do in some of the other Commonwealth countries.  What do the penalties look like in other democratic countries?  Start with that and maybe look at some of the other criminal code offenses that are similar in nature and what the penalties are there."

The first step in determining if Canadians agree with Richards will be starting an online petition.  

"We'll see what kind of response there is, what kind of support there is for it.  I expect that there's going to be pretty strong support for it.  If that's the case, obviously we'll take that back to the House of Commons and I'll present that petition and we can urge for this to be something that maybe the Justice Committee or the Public Safety Committee in Ottawa would have a look at and let them determine what the best route would be to take on this."

If Richards could talk to the people who vandalized the memorial, this is what he'd say to them. 

"Spend a little time at the local Legion.  Attend a Remembrance Day service. Because then you'll really understand what that sacrifice means, what that service means.  I can't imagine anyone who understands that would make the decision that this individual or individuals made with the LAV monument."

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