Safety concerns escalate for elected officials

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This article was published 20/02/2024 (564 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Online harassment, threats and encounters with angry protesters are contributing to security concerns within all levels of government, prompting public officials to introduce additional measures to protect themselves in an increasingly volatile political climate.

“There’s no question that over the 20 years that I’ve served, the intensity and severity of threats against public officials have increased,” Progressive Conservative MLA Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach) said by phone Tuesday.

“We are sort of losing our ability in society to disagree with people in a civil way.”

Goertzen, who has served in public office for more than 20 years, said threats and harassment have always been part of the job, but the issue has been worsened by political partisanship.

“I’ve cautioned elected officials on all sides that how we disagree with each other is important. If we disagree with each other on a policy position but then take it one step further and make it personal, that gives license both to our supporters and others who are watching politics to do the same,” he said.

“You can disagree with somebody without believing they are an evil person.”

While serving as provincial justice minister, Goertzen oversaw the implementation of increased security measures within the Manitoba legislature, including limiting access to the public venue.

The province later introduced a dedicated security team, staffed by specialized RCMP officers, to help protect former premier Heather Stefanson. When Premier Wab Kinew replaced Stefanson last October, his office maintained the enhanced security measures.

Ahead of the provincial election, the NDP, Manitoba Liberals and PCs unanimously agreed to amend the Elections Act to remove expectations for public officials to publish their home addresses while campaigning. Candidates were previously able to ask for an exemption, but the default position was to make the addresses publicly available.

Manitoba Conservative Sen. Don Plett said he and some of his senate colleagues have recently started carrying panic buttons, which they can use to call for help in the event of a security threat.

The House of Commons began offering the devices to senate members last fall, more than a year after it extended the security measure to members of Parliament, he said.

“I’m sad that our country has gotten to a point where these steps are necessary,” Plett said by phone. “I don’t think we have experienced any physical violence so far, but I think it’s maybe a matter of time before we do.”

In November, the Conservative senator was swarmed by pro-Palestinian protesters while driving to a Conservative caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. After he refused to roll down his window and accept a pamphlet from the crowd members, one protester became irate and jumped onto the hood of Plett’s vehicle while others banged on his windows, he said.

Other senators have reported similar encounters and are being offered additional security enhancements at their homes, Plett added.

Liberal MP Dan Vandal (Saint Boniface-Saint Vital) similarly has access to a panic button.

“I think things have gotten worse because of the advent of social media,” he said by phone. “It’s more polarizing. People get information or disinformation quicker and they tend to act upon it.”

“I think things have gotten worse because of the advent of social media”–Liberal MP Dan Vandal (Saint Boniface-Saint Vital)

Vandal noted extreme political views in the U.S. are also filtering over the border, with people becoming influenced by ideas and policies that are not in line with Canadian values.

Political parties can sometimes pose intentionally divisive questions during parliamentary debates, with members later using the resulting responses to create video clips for their respective social media profiles, he said.

“It’s just all about being sensational,” he said. “We have to start talking directly to Canadians about the vision for Canada. … Do we want a Canada where people respect each other and respect public institutions … or do we want a Canada where everything goes?”

The Samara Centre for Democracy, a Toronto-based think-tank, has accumulated data from 3.7 million posts on X (formerly Twitter) discussing elections at the federal, provincial and municipal level. Of those, it has identified more than 620,000 abusive messages.

During the 2021 federal election, it tracked an average of 511 such posts per hour.

The numbers account only for messages posted on X, and do not include abusive messages sent via direct messages, on other social media platforms, in comment sections or during in-person interactions.

“The line between online abuse and real physical, in-person threats is not as distinct as Canadians might imagine,” Sabreena Delhon, the organization’s chief executive officer, said in an email statement. “If we want to attract and retain candidates who can work effectively for their constituents, they need positive working conditions, and that starts with having, at minimum, safe working conditions.”

Winnipeg city councillors are calling for a security review at city hall, with staff reportedly facing serious threats that have included smashed windows, verbal abuse and threats.

In at least one case, a city councillor has been forced to seek legal protection from an alleged stalker.

The issue became the subject of a recent union grievance, with the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500 in January accusing the municipal government of failing to provide a safe workplace.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca