Blanc-Sablon removes Facebook post listing people who haven't paid taxes

A town on Quebec's lower North Shore has taken down a list of people who haven't paid their taxes off of Facebook following widespread criticism from residents.

Several people in Blanc-Sablon, however, are still planning to file a formal complaint about the move. 

Anthony Dumas, a resident and former mayor of Blanc-Sablon, said posting the names on the social media site unfairly vilified people who may be having a difficult time.

"Some of them are single parents with four kids, or three kids. Some of them are single seniors, very low income," he said. 

"People on the lower North Shore don't have a very high income. Also our tax is one of the highest."

Blanc-Sablon Mayor Armand Joncas has said the municipality recovered $20,000 in unpaid taxes the day after it 
posted the names on the social media site.

"This year we had no choice, with $1.4 million in taxes, and at the end of the year we were still missing $200,000," he said.​

Joncas said that in the absence of local newspapers in Blanc-Sablon, he decided with his municipal council to publish this information online.

Despite taking down the post, he maintains the move was legal.