The mayor of the eastern P.E.I. town of Three Rivers says comments on social media have become so “aggressive” that council has decided to hold Tuesday night’s meeting virtually instead of in-person out of concerns for their own safety.
One of the posts, which was viewed by CBC News but appears to have since been removed, mentioned the threat of violence and weapons.
“The sad part is that… a lot of our family are screenshotting these and sending them to us and saying that, you know, ‘We’re nervous for you,'” Three Rivers Mayor Debbie Johnston said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “And I feel bad for some councillors because yesterday one of our councillors didn’t feel comfortable enough to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony.”
Johnston said the RCMP have been notified about the threats, which inspired a Facebook post by the town that said: “The November 12th Three Rivers Council Meeting will be held virtually. This is due to aggressive social media comments and the threat of violence using weapons. This decision ensures the safety of both staff and council.”
RCMP Cpl. Gavin Moore confirmed to CBC News on Tuesday that Kings District RCMP are investigating.
“Any time a political official is threatened, that certainly is concerning. I think all Islanders would expect that that type of behaviour not be tolerated,” he said,
“Public safety is our number-one, most important role here, and with that, officers are making additional patrols, they’re making sure that we have a tight connection with those who are working with town council, and we will be having a strong presence in the area.”
Land purchase concerns
Tensions have been high over the past several months in Three Rivers, which includes Montague, Georgetown, Cardigan, Brudenell, Lower Montague, Valleyfield and Lorne Valley as well as a number of rural areas.
Many in the community have expressed concerns about the amount of land being purchased by foreigners, particularly those with ties to the Buddhist group Bliss and Wisdom. Residents of Three Rivers have said they are concerned about how the land purchases will affect the long-term interests of the Island, especially when it comes to young people being able to buy an affordable property.
“They are concerned over a number of land issues in Three Rivers and they think council is not,” Johnston said. “Just because we don’t express concern at every council meeting doesn’t mean we’re not concerned.”
I’ve lived in this community my whole life and I’ve never seen anything get to this point before and it is very disappointing. — Debbie Johnston
The province has legislation to prevent the large-scale purchase of land by non-Islanders, and there has been no evidence of wrong-doing in relation to the Kings County land purchases.
Three Rivers council is also in the process of revising its bylaws. One proposal would require members of the public wanting to speak at meetings to register beforehand, in an effort to keep meetings at a manageable length and the proceedings civil.
The Town of Three Rivers was formed in 2018 from the former communities of Montague, Georgetown, Cardigan, Brudenell, Lower Montague, Valleyfield and Lorne Valley as well as a number of rural areas. (Shane Ross/CBC)
‘It is very disappointing’
As for the virtual meeting, Johnston said it’s the first time that Three Rivers has had to take such steps since the original communities were amalgamated under one municipal banner back in 2018.
“There’s a lot of good that has come out of Three Rivers, but it’s certainly being overshadowed by what’s going on right now and that is really too bad.
“So as a mayor, I feel disappointed that that’s what’s happening. I’ve lived in this community my whole life and I’ve never seen anything get to this point before, and it is very disappointing.”
Tuesday’s meeting will be held over Zoom. A planning board meeting on Thursday has been cancelled for unrelated reasons, the town said.