Alberta's Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women has issued a public apology after being recorded using profanity in a voicemail intended for a constituent. The incident has sparked discussion about political conduct and accountability.
The Incident and Apology
Tanya Fir, the United Conservative Party legislature member for Calgary-Peigan, addressed the controversy during a news conference on Monday, November 17, 2025. The minister acknowledged leaving a voicemail for a constituent that contained an expletive, describing her comment as "inappropriate" and "flippant."
Fir explained that while she has been referred to by the same expletive in political disagreements and recent messages to her office, that didn't justify her use of the word. She confirmed that the constituent involved has accepted her apology for the offensive language.
Recording Reveals Private Conversation
The controversy emerged when Alberta columnist Doug Firby released the recording over the weekend. The voicemail began professionally, with Fir thanking a constituent for feedback regarding the recent provincewide teachers' strike.
"I will be sharing it accordingly at the caucus and cabinet tables," Fir told the constituent about their feedback on the strike, which ended last month after the government invoked the Charter's notwithstanding clause to shield a bill ordering teachers back to work.
After what seemed like the end of the call, the recording continued, capturing Fir asking someone else "Was that OK?" before referring to her next constituent call using the expletive, followed by laughter from the other person.
Columnist Reacts to Recording
Firby explained that a fellow constituent who received the message last Tuesday sent him the recording. The constituent reached out because it appeared Fir was preparing to call Firby next, as she read out his number after using the expletive.
"I was shocked and I thought it was aimed at me," Firby said in an interview Monday. "It was like being a fly on the wall. You've actually heard something that you would never normally hear."
Firby noted that when he contacted Fir about the recording, she "apologized profusely and admitted she had made a mistake." The incident highlights the challenges public figures face in maintaining professional conduct, particularly when they believe their conversations are private.
