Stewiacke councillors push back against 'keyboard warriors'

Two Stuyac town councillors are speaking up about increasing incivility on social media, directed at council members and town staff. They're nice, they're kind when I'm sitting beside them. They're not so nice behind a keyboard. Pam Osborne is a veteran on Stuyac Council and says she's been called derogatory words. For Osborne, it's part of politics these days, including in the small town an hour outside of Halifax. There has not been to the level that I would say that there's been an out-and-out threat made, but there's certainly been innuendo made, and not just to mine, but to our whole council and to some of our staff. Councillor Suzanne Lutz says there is a difference between criticizing a decision and attacking the people who made it. She describes it as a vocal minority, but worries it will dissuade civic participation. If this is considered an acceptable part of the job, who would want to run? And that's going to really limit our representation for the next municipal election. The town drew a line this summer. A resident was banned from town hall for threatening behavior on social media. Bullying, harassment, and providing misinformation is not something we respond to directly online, but we do have processes, procedures to deal with that. That resident is Audrey Armsworthy. Come here, I'll give you a scratch. The past council candidate often posts about local issues on social media. She filed a freedom of information request about the ban and believes it resulted in part from a meme about deciding if someone was worth a felony. Armsworthy believes Seguin thought it was about him. He wouldn't comment on the reason for the ban. It was just a meme that I thought was funny. Armsworthy says she hasn't seen threats or harassment against councillors online herself, but a feeling of disrespect is mutual because of council decisions made this term. There is disrespect, but I was brought up. Respect is earned. This council had the community's respect. They had their trust. It was theirs to lose. They lost it. Armsworthy will be allowed to attend council meetings in person in July. As for Lutz and Osborne, they say the social media activity won't be a deciding factor on if they run again. Luke Attinger, CBC News, Stuyac.