Tom Moffatt's 'karmic' Fort McMurray fire tweet nets job suspension

A former Alberta NDP candidatehas been suspended from his job with the Town ofTaberover his tweet last week, "Karmic #climatechangefire burns CDNoilsandscity," whichhe later deleted and apologizedfor.

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Tom Moffattwas roundly criticized on social media for his tweet, which seemed to suggest the Fort McMurray fire was cosmic payback for the city's oilsands-based economy adding to climate change.

Town officials in Taber immediately distanced themselves from Moffatt, an I.T. manager,tweeting that his comment "in no way reflects the town's views on this terrible tragedy."

On Friday the town went further, tweeting that Moffatt has been suspended pending an investigation of his comments.

Moffattsaid last week his "ill-conceived" tweet was meant to draw attention to corporate and government inaction on the issue of climate change.

Moffattran unsuccessfully for the NDP in the2008 and 2012 provincial elections. In 2015, he sought the party's nomination again but lost it toMaria Fitzpatrick, who went on to win the seat as the party swept to power.

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