Article content

One by one, Taber town council voted in favour of suspending an employee who took to social media to call the Fort McMurray wildfire “karmic.”

At a special meeting Friday, the mayor and six councillors voted Tom Moffatt had to go and would remain gone until the town can conduct an investigation into a controversial post Moffatt made on his Twitter account.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Town of Taber employee suspended over 'karmic' Fort McMurray wildfire comment Back to video

“Karmic #climatechange fire burns Canadian oilsands city,” Moffat, who is also a former Lethbridge NDP candidate, posted for his Twitter followers on Tuesday.

In an interview with Postmedia on Wednesday, Moffatt explained the comment.

“In retrospect, karmic was not a good word to use, because it implies people there deserve what they are getting and that’s not what I meant at all,” he said.

“When I wrote ‘karmic’ I was thinking of my own failure, because I see this as a climate disaster, and I have not done enough to inform people of the perils of climate change.”

Friday, following the special meeting, the suspension was publicly announced on the Town of Taber’s Twitter accounts.

“At its Special Meeting of Council on Friday, May 6, 2016, Town of Taber Council passed the following resolution,” the town’s post read. “MOVED by Councillor Sparks that Mr. Tom Moffat be suspended until further notice pending an investigation into comments made on social media regarding the Fort McMurray tragedy. “CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.”

https://twitter.com/TownofTaber/status/728748329941618688

This followed a previous statement from the town distancing itself from Moffatt.

“A recent post made by a Town employee on a personal account in no way reflects the Town’s views on this terrible tragedy. Employees’ views and opinions in no way reflect the views of the Town,” that post read in part.

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