ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Warning: this article contains images of Facebook posts that include graphic language that some readers may find offensive.
“Put a bounty on their heads!! Break out the banned rifles & shotguns & send them the f--- on there (sic) way never to return!!!!”
That’s one of many threatening comments — that one in particular made by a Facebook user named Chad White — about members of the province’s Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council (WERAC) on a Facebook group called “Fight Back against WERAC (GNP Chapter)” in reaction to a draft natural areas system plan that is undergoing public consultation.
St. John’s Centre MHA Jim Dinn said in the House of Assembly Wednesday that other comments made in the group are hate speech, misogynistic and threats of violence.
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Dinn asked why Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour Christopher Mitchelmore, a member of the group, continues to interact with people in the group, and why he hasn’t publicly condemned such speech.
Mitchelmore said he contacted the Facebook page administrator to say it’s “highly inappropriate for any individual to make commentary that would take a personal attack or could be anything but the particular issue. It's unacceptable and that is something that I raised with the page administrator on more than one occasion.”
While ex-WERAC chair Victoria Neville said she was happy to hear both Mitchelmore’s and Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources Gerry Byrne’s comments in the House condemning the comments, she is hurt that Mitchelmore is still a member of the group. She said it’s like being silently complicit in the comments.
“I’m grateful to see them publicly say that, but it would have meant a lot more — and it would still mean a lot — if they faced those bullies in the group, instead of fuelling them with misinformation.
“It kind of reminds me of how differently a bully might behave on the schoolyard or an online forum versus in the principal’s office. I’d like for someone to have the integrity to stand up for people who don’t deserve to be slandered or threatened.”
Neville said she’s trying to remain focused on her work, but she’s lost sleep over the threats.
“The part that really scared me was there was some people suggesting that it would be better to burn the sensitive habitats down so that WERAC would have nothing left to protect.”
Neville said it’s her opinion that Mitchelmore either does not understand the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves (WER) Act, or he was purposefully ignoring it in some posts he has made in the group.
“He’s ramping up that fear in the group, telling folks that it’s important they get their word in — which it is — but really emphasizing because it could be restrictions, or consequences to them and things that are important to them.
“So, that’s first getting people afraid, telling people that he didn’t support the plan, that the timing of the release was bad, and the short consultation window, and not mentioning that the timing and the consultation window is something that was actually decided upon by Minister Gerry Byrne. That wasn’t something that WERAC decided.
“And then he’s even telling people at a certain point to use the access to information process to get information about WERAC.
“Now, there’s no reason that would be necessary because there’s nothing nefarious going on with WERAC, and if the minister wanted that information, he could easily get it from colleagues. But you see what I mean, how that’s kind of stoking this fear that something is afoot? So, after that happened … threats started to build up.”
‘Detailed public consultation’
While the WER Act states it is the minister’s duty to release plans for ecological or wilderness reserves, and the premier’s 2019 mandate letter directs the minister to work on a natural areas system plan, Byrne has asked WERAC to d
o this work after two WERAC members quit earlier this year due to what they felt was government inaction on a plan.
When The Telegram reported on the resignations in February, Byrne said in an emailed statement that WERAC members were instrumental in developing a natural areas system plan, and that the provincial government looked forward to continuing that work with the advice and participation of WERAC.
At the time, he wrote that the province was continuing to make progress on a draft of new protected areas.
Dinn asked Byrne in the House on Wednesday why he was “shirking his duty and why he and the minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour seem determined to distance themselves from the plan and throw the volunteers of WERAC under the bus.”
Byrne responded by saying this is WERAC’s plan, and they are doing the consultation. After that, he said, the government will assess the situation and determine next steps.
Meanwhile, Neville said it is thanks to pressure from WERAC that the plan is finally, after 25 years, released for public consultation.
Evan Edinger, a WERAC member from Torbay, also commented on the plan being “behind closed doors” for two decades.
“It’s gone around between different government departments, but no members of the public have seen it up until now. And so, no wonder the public is surprised when they see this map presented.
“And so, it looks like it’s fait accompli. It’s not. But it looks like, ‘OK, here’s a plan, like it or lump it.’ But in actuality, every single one of those areas have to go through detailed public consultation before it can be established, and the whole purpose of that consultation is to make sure that people who live in a particular area continue to have access to that area, and can continue their traditional activities that are appropriate for that area.”
Public consultation on the plan is open until Oct. 1. Edinger encourages everyone in the province to participate.
To learn more and to provide feedback on the plan, visit engagenl.ca.
With files from David Maher.
TwitterL: @juanitamercer_
