Alberta byelection candidates reported 'potentially threatening' comments: RCMP
Independent candidate Sarah Spanier says she's been target of harassment, personal attacks
Several candidates contesting next month's byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot have reported receiving negative and sometimes "potentially threatening commentary" on social media platforms in recent days, according to RCMP.
"While Canadians are entitled to express their opinions, even those critical of political figures, threats or comments that cross the line into criminal conduct will be taken seriously," RCMP wrote in a statement.
Independent candidate Sarah Spanier is one of more than 150 candidates contesting the riding alongside Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, who is running in the riding to regain a seat in the House of Commons.
But Spanier said she's put a pause on knocking on doors for the time being, citing a barrage of hostile comments she's received over the course of her campaign.
"I had people who were telling me that I'm going to regret it, and my family's going to regret it," Spanier said. "Then it slowly started to escalate into, 'If you come here, you're going to regret it.'"
The rhetoric got "even more aggressive," in Spanier's view, after she started to speak about her support of transgender people.
"The comments I received were just vile, and not exactly something that you can say on TV or radio," she said.
Spanier shared screenshots with CBC News of various social media comments. One user posted that "[Spanier is] an ignorant pig and I pray [she gets] destroyed," while another wrote "come to my door they will regret it."
Another charged Spanier with attempting to "sabotage" Poilievre.
Of the more than 150 candidates running against Poilievre, most are electoral reform advocates known as the Longest Ballot Committee.
Spanier is not a part of that committee. Poilievre and other candidates have pushed back against the committee, with Poilievre referring to it as the "longest ballot scam."
'The age of the keyboard warrior'
Not all candidates share Spanier's concerns.
Bonnie Critchley, another independent candidate running in the riding, released a video on TikTok responding to media reports about threats in the riding.
"It's honestly just not a thing.... Are people saying mean things about me online? Well, yeah, it is the age of the keyboard warrior," Critchley said. "But there's been no death threats."
Spanier took issue with the video.
"[Critchley] put forth a video basically saying without saying that I am being overdramatic about this," Spanier said.
"This isn't something new that I've just started talking about. This has been on my radar for months now."
In a statement to CBC News, Critchley's campaign wrote that "online comments are not the same as threats."
"Democracy includes disagreement. We welcome respectful discussion, that's how real progress happens," the statement reads.
Spanier said she believes this issue is taking place across the country as part of every election.
"Just because it's not happening for you doesn't mean it's not happening," she said. "I just hope people take this seriously."
Other candidates react
In its Monday statement, the RCMP added threatening comments made online can be offences under the Criminal Code, which prohibits uttering threats to cause bodily harm, death or damage to property.
"Individuals found making such threats may be subject to investigation and could face criminal charges," the statement reads.
Michael Harris, a Libertarian candidate in the same race, told CBC News he hasn't received direct threats himself.
"I've had a few Longest Ballot Committee candidates spam my DMs on social media after my statement on them went live," he wrote in an email.
"Still, I don't really mind. I believe in freedom of speech. Even if it's annoying. As long as it doesn't cross the line into harassment or threats, people have the right to voice their opinions."
Jayson Cowan, a candidate in Battle River-Crowfoot affiliated with the Longest Ballot Committee, said he had received some aggressive blowback on social media platforms during the campaign, specifically on X.
"I could understand why to some that would be very scary. But I am not easily scared. I'm welcoming every single debate, every single interaction," he said.
Still, he said some forms of blowback, such as sharing people's personal address online, steps over the line.
Darcy Spady, the Liberal candidate in the byelection, wrote in a post on Facebook that it was wrong that Spanier had to put door-knocking on pause after receiving threats.
"No one should ever feel unsafe participating in our democracy. I applaud Sarah for putting her name forward to serve, and I hope we can send a clear message: threats and violence have no place here in Battle River-Crowfoot," Spady wrote.
A spokesperson for Poilievre didn't respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. The byelection is scheduled for Aug. 18.
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