The Municipal District of St. Stephen is speaking out against treatment of both council members and staff.
“In recent months, we have witnessed an alarming rise in public incivility directed toward members of the council, municipal staff and volunteers,” the statement from Mayor Allan MacEachern said. “While spirited debate and accountability are the hallmarks of a healthy democracy, there is a growing trend of personal attacks, harassment, and intimidation that must be addressed directly and unequivocally.”
MacEachern said he is mainly concerned about staff.
“We’re not alone in this,” he said, speaking to issues he’s heard from other municipal politicians in the province. “But we’ve got to take care of our own area and set precedents and look after these people.”
He said both staff and the council are working hard to do what is best for their community.
“We need to do better and be more understanding of the environment we are all in,” he said.
MacEachern said it becomes difficult to help lead staff in accomplishing their goals when they are being attacked. He explained he regularly has to talk staff down after things happen to them either online or in-person.
“Yes, we [the council] need to be held accountable, but we [have] to start looking at the facts, understand the situation we’re in and then ask the questions,” he said. “By all means, call us out … but the environment isn’t good for us all.”
He hopes people will read the letter and try to understand the perspectives of staff – who aren’t elected, but work to keep the municipality functioning.
“This escalating tone of discourse– online, in-person, and through other channels– has led to threats, verbal assaults and undue pressure on those who serve,” MacEachern statement said. “This behaviour is not only unacceptable, it erodes the very foundation of civil society.”
MDSS said it encourages respectful dialogue and open exchange and the “safety and dignity of every individual contributing to public service.”
“We have to protect them,” MacEachern said. “That’s not their job … It’s almost like they are in court. It’s an awful feeling to put people through.”
He said staff are doing the best it can with the tools given to them under the budgetary allotment the town receives.
“We need a little more understanding, a little more compassion, and understanding that not everything needs to be a fight on Facebook to get it done,” he said. “A lot of these things are important conversations that deserve dialogue.”
Dan Murphy, the executive director of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB), applauded the municipality for speaking about the issue out in the open.
“This is a problem that we’ve seen across Canada, not just in New Brunswick,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that it has to be said.”
He said the rising levels of incivility and vitriol is harmful to the whole of local government.
While Murphy said municipal leaders are on the frontlines for their community, the staff are also being subjected to the same treatment.
In June, UMNB put out a call to action for the development of a strategy to deal with the intimidation and harassment of municipal leaders and staff.
“Harassment and intimidation of municipal elected officials and staff have become pressing concerns in New Brunswick, reflecting broader national and global trends,” the statement reads. “Social media platforms have amplified the reach and impact of such behaviour, necessitating a strategic, coordinated response.”
Murphy said it will outline regulatory and legislative changes that can take place at both the local and provincial level to best protect and create a civil place of debate.
He explained it will hold a symposium on the final report to consult the various members on how to move forward.
A final report is expected to be delivered to UMNB in December 2025. It isn’t the only association to do so.
In February, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) asked for proposals for the creation of municipal civility and anti-harassment policy.
“AMO is seeking an organization that will help us take a leadership role to address and hopefully turn around incivility, harassment and threatening behaviour and language that is increasingly prevalent in municipal politics and service delivery in Ontario,” it said.
The Canadian Municipal Barometer said 63 per cent of 1,633 respondents indicated they had experienced some form of harassment. The study was done by the University of Calgary.
It does acknowledge more work needs to be done on the harassment of local politicians to provide a greater understanding of the scope and trends of this behaviour.
Murphy said he believes the tides turned with the rise of unchecked social media, adding individuals are able to say things online they would not necessarily say in-person.
“That has led to sometimes misinformation, sometimes questions of conspiracy theories on different things that come up, I think that has a lot to do with this,” he said.
He said he doesn’t think any municipal official isn’t welcoming constructive dialogue with the citizens they represent.
“We want people to be able to participate in civil discourse,” he said. “When it boils down to attacking people personally or harassing them or their families at different events, no one signs up for that,” Murphy said.
“We have to call it out when we see it, and that’s what the municipal district did.”
