'Municipal politics has become very toxic': N.S. mayors consider next election cycle amid rising ‘hostility’

Pictured on June 22, 2023 is Halifax's city hall building.

Bill Mills, who has served as mayor of Truro, N.S., for 27 years, was considering whether or not to run for the position again this fall when he heard a news piece on the radio that settled the issue for him. Mills learned how mayors and councillors across Canada are resigning en masse amid a growing level of incivility, abuse, and toxicity directed towards them.

“One lady in Ottawa was able to jog in her own neighborhood and now she’s afraid to do so,” Mills said. “It hasn’t gotten that bad in Truro, but at this stage of my life do I need this aggravation? This is getting to the place where it’s just not worth it anymore.

“I had a heart attack a year-and-a-half ago and don’t want another one.”

Mills, who has been involved in municipal government for nearly 40 years, announced he won’t be running for the mayoral seat this fall. Municipal elections will be held across Nova Scotia in the autumn, leaving many mayors and councillors with time to reflect on their political future amid a sharp increase in vocal negativity and even abuse for public figures across the country.

“There are a number of stories of Quebec municipal politicians saying they can no longer deal with the hostility directed to them and their families,” said Lori Turnbull, an Ottawa-based professor with Dalhousie University. “People have always shown how angry they are but now they’re more willing to cross the line.”

Spike in toxicity

In early May, Amanda McDougall-Merrill, who was elected mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in 2020, announced she wasn’t seeking another four years in the leadership position. In an interview with CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis, McDougall-Merrill said the heightened degree of vitriol aimed at politicians on social media influenced her decision to walk away.

“(The campaign) is not something I want to go through again,” she said. “I remember there was a hashtag on social media called KnockedUpMandy during my mayoral campaign. You can’t unhear, you can’t unsee, you can’t unknow what you do know.

“Unfortunately social media has given people a platform where they don’t have to be held accountable. Four years in this chair has been pretty heavy.”

Jamie Myra, who stepped into the role of Lunenburg mayor after a by-election last September, said McDougall-Merrill’s comments hit home for him. He plans to run for re-election later this year, but he noted the toll the endless negativity can take on his family.

“Municipal politics has become very toxic,” he said. “Social media has changed the way of the world. People seem to say things they never would have said in a million years since COVID. Now there seems to be a lot of name calling, a lot of bad things being posted on Facebook, Instagram, a lot of keyboard warriors.”

“I knew what I was getting myself into so I can handle it. It affects my kids more than me.”

Myra said he recently attended the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities conference in Baddeck and it seems this issue of toxicity has become common for local politicians.

“Now we seem to be a punching board for a lot of people,” he said. “That’s the way the world has become.”

Turnbull noted how social media can create echo chambers for people, allowing them to view people outside their circle in increasingly negative lights.

“Social media provides a way to go down these rabbit holes of your own thoughts,” she said. “You’re reading more and more things that reinforce what you already thought and it creates a demonizing effect (for other parties).”

Some mayors see positives

Jim Ryan, mayor of Pictou, is leaning towards running for office again, but he hasn’t made an official decision. He will have spent eight years in the position come October and unlike some of his mayoral peers, he finds civility is the norm.

“People have different opinions and sometimes they’ll get forceful, but overall I think we have a respectful community for the most part,” he said.

Abraham Zebian, mayor of the West Hants Regional Municipality, said he’s been too busy lately to fully decide if he’ll throw his hat in the re-election ring. If he does, the rise in negativity may influence his decision, but he notes he tries to find ways past the anger and vitriol and find solutions.

“People tag me all the time in posts,” he said. “Sometimes it’s okay and sometimes it can get really hard and negative to the point it’s personal. I have a thick skin. Everybody’s stressors are different. I’m pretty good at defusing it and usually we end up having a coffee together.

“It’s hard to read comments sometimes about a family member. Running again will be a family discussion.”

Political futures

Turnbull said the overwhelming wave of toxicity could have serious implications for governments of all sizes.

“If things keep going the way they’re going, it’ll hit a crisis point because who will run for office?” she said.

Myra recommends people looking to get involved in municipal politics learn as much as possible about the system before jumping in.

“If they are interested in running they should attend as many meetings as possible and understand how the process works,” he said. “It’s important that if people want to be mayor they should run for council first. I had 12 years on town council before I ran for mayor. There’s such a big learning curve.

“Knowing the system is a great benefit. Being the mayor has somewhat morphed into a fulltime job and it’s not a bed of roses. Make sure you know what you’re running for.”

Zebian agrees that people running for office need to have a larger idea about what they want to do for their community.

“It’s very rewarding, but you have to want to do it from your heart,” he said. “You have to have a vision; if you don’t you’re most likely not going to succeed.

“Be open and transparent. Answer people. People appreciate that and it defuses a lot of the anger.”

As a larger solution to address political turmoil, Turnbull suggests a comprehensive education in public schools.

“More education about politics that has nothing to do with parties (is needed),” she said. “The civic education you get is not a huge part of high school curriculum. What we really need is education about what it means to be a citizen without a partisan lens.”

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