Racist comments allegedly made by councillors prompt Colchester council meeting
Emma Davie | CBC News | Posted: July 21, 2017 9:14 PM | Last Updated: July 21, 2017
'This is something that is very upsetting,' says mayor of the Municipality of the County of Colchester
A special in-camera council meeting will be held in Truro, N.S., on Aug. 2 to deal with allegations that two councillors for the Municipality of the County of Colchester made racist comments.
After hearing two councillors and a third person speaking in a restaurant in April, Stephanie Simonsen wrote a post on Facebook about what she allegedly heard.
"In their conversation, they threatened the prime minister, they indicated the Qur'an should be banned as hate speech and that all mosques should be blown up," Simonsen told CBC News.
"I was getting more and more concerned about the leadership for the people of Colchester. So I just posted something up on Facebook and left it there."
It isn't clear where the restaurant is located.
Mayor Christine Blair saw the Facebook post and immediately contacted Simonsen. She said Simonsen told her she did not want to file a formal complaint.
Blair said while these are still allegations and being treated as such, the alleged views are not reflective of the council as a whole.
"As the mayor, this is something that is very upsetting," Blair said.
"We believe in diversity in Colchester County. We believe that anyone that wants to come and live here needs to be made welcome. This would be their home and this is where we want to have them welcome. It's very disturbing."
Councillor denies allegations in local newspaper
Blair said she spoke to the two councillors in question, but would not say what was said. She also would not identify the councillors.
However, in an opinion piece in the Truro Daily News on Thursday, Coun. Tom Taggart acknowledged the allegations were made against him and another councillor, but said they weren't true.
Taggart and the other councillor in question did not respond to interview requests from CBC News.
"I truly hope people do not believe I am a racist," Taggart wrote in the opinion piece.
Taggart also addressed the recent resignation of Coun. Doug MacInnes, who told the Truro Daily News he stepped down over alleged racist comments made by two fellow councillors over a number of years.
CBC News contacted MacInnes, but he did not respond to requests for an interview.
Blair said the Municipal Government Act wouldn't allow for any disciplinary action in this case.
"There are no disciplinary measures [in the Act] unless you have an issue of crime or something that's against the law," Blair said.
'Not appropriate behaviour'
While Simonsen acknowledges the alleged comments didn't break the law, she said she felt the councillors should be held accountable.
"It's not criminal to be a racist. It's just morally and ethically suspect," Simonsen said.
"I hope the two councillors accept responsibility for what they've done and what they've said and acknowledge that it's not appropriate behaviour ... Councillors have a higher responsibility if they're representing everyone to not disparage anyone."