Tory MLAs allege 'threats,' 'intimidation' by PR Coalition members

Two Tory MLAs rose in the legislature Friday and said they were the targets of online threats and intimidation, two days after the party accused the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation of providing personal voter information to the Green Party during a recent byelection.

Both the Greens and the coalition have denied the allegations. Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker has asked both the province's chief electoral officer and privacy commissioner to investigate.

On Friday, PC MLAs Darlene Compton and Steven Myers tabled in the legislature social media comments made by members of the PR Coalition and asked the Speaker to rule that their privileges as MLAs had been breached.

"Yesterday when I arrived at the office I was faced with the threat of a lawsuit," Compton told the House. "If that's an attempt to stifle me, so be it. I'm not going to stop standing up for Islanders."

Comments on social media

Among the documents tabled by Compton and Myers were copies of comments posted on Facebook attributed to various members of the PR Coalition:

Jordan Bober wrote, "This is the first time I've ever been slandered, and it is so exasperating to be slandered by someone abusing their privilege as an MLA … which allows them to lie and slander without legal repercussion."

Mark Greenan wrote, "Steven, I can assure you that these statements you are making are false, defamatory and libellous. I have great respect for your passionate advocacy for your constituents, but you do your party and its donors (who may be responsible for the consequences of your repeating said defamatory libel) by repeating these demonstrable untruths."

When you look at sort of the power imbalance here, it opens up the question of who's really intimidating whom.— Jordan Bober

The party also referenced a video put out by the coalition, where member Anna Keenan said they considered the Tory "attacks as being defamatory and libellous. They could really affect our future employment and our ability to keep doing good work on the Island, and so we want to share with you we are seeking legal advice to see how we can be protected from these sorts of allegations."

Compton said the comments show "a direct contempt to this House."

Myers characterized comments directed at him as "a sad attempt to intimidate me into not doing my job. … I will not be silenced by such threats."

Not threats, coalition members say

Members of the PR Coalition contacted by CBC News denied any of the comments were to be taken as threats.

"When you look at sort of the power imbalance here, it opens up the question of who's really intimidating whom," Jordan Bober said.

"I think to have an MLA, or multiple MLAs now all sort-of ganging up and saying, 'Yeah we're going to hold you in contempt,' that's pretty scary for an average citizen to be on the receiving end of."

Mark Greenan said the coalition "has made no legal claims against the PCs and has no plans to."

Anna Keenan told CBC News she would have no comment  "until I've a chance to fully review what was said about me in the legislature this morning, and until I receive a legal opinion."

Next steps

The clerk of the legislature told CBC News that it now falls on the Speaker to determine whether the comments constitute a prima facie breach of the members' privileges.

If they do, one of the members could come forward with their own proposed remedy, including a motion of censure to be debated and voted on by the legislature. Or, the issue of privilege could be sent for a committee to decide, and report back to the assembly.

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