Cape Breton craft show to continue, despite threats

The president of the Home Crafters of Cape Breton says the Christmas craft show will go ahead at Centre 200 despite vendors being the targets of threats and online harassment after a miscommunication over the Remembrance Day booking at the arena.

"We've seen pure hate mail, being told we're disgraceful, that we should be ashamed of ourselves," said Susan MacDonald. "We're scared."

On Tuesday, organizers of the annual Remembrance Day ceremony in Sydney said they had to switch venues at the last minute because Centre 200 had already rented the space to the craft show.

The venue said legion members were told about the scheduling conflict a year ago.

Why now?

MacDonald said she's saddened that "Cape Bretoners are turning against Cape Bretoners." She said the craft show has been going on for 29 years and in that time, she said there were seven instances where the show was on during Remembrance Day.

"I contacted the legion in late January, early February and asked [legion members] for approval. They asked us not to open until the ceremonies were over, which we're not. We never have," said MacDonald.

"They actually thanked us for considering the veterans before we went ahead and just did our craft show."

MacDonald there are more than 170 crafters taking part in this year's fair. She said the home crafters have already committed to advertising and paying the venue rental.

Not backing out

"You're looking at a show this size, anywhere between $23,000 to $25,000. Where's the money going to come from for that? We would have to refund all of our crafters their table rentals," said MacDonald.

"These are tiny little crafters who depend on this show. some of them to get through the winter for oil, for heat because they've knitted all year and they're going to sell it at the fair."

Other crafters are single parents, MacDonald said, who "rely on these craft shows to be able to supply Christmas for their children."

'Be respectful'

When she saw the news story about the last minute venue switch up involving the Remembrance Day ceremony, MacDonald said she was blindsided. She said she took the craft show's Facebook page down to curb some of the negativity.

MacDonald said they're receiving comments from people in Dartmouth, even though there's a craft show happening on the same day, with the same hours at the Halifax Exhibition Centre as well. 

"Why are they focused on Cape Breton?" MacDonald said.

She wants people to remember veterans on Remembrance Day.

"I want them to attend the services, be respectful. The veterans don't deserve to have this all either. There's no winning in this situation."