This election could go either way | George Le Masurier photo
The Week: Misinformation campaign sullies Comox by-election featuring four good candidates
Decafnation has covered elections for public office on both sides of the US and Canadian border, from local council positions up to gubernatorial and US Senate races in the state of Washington. And we have learned that one of the realities of any election is that the higher the stakes, the nastier the campaign.
Based on that, it appears that some people think there’s something at stake in the race for an open seat on the Comox Town Council, which voters will decide this Saturday, Nov. 27.
Here’s what’s going on. Someone or several people have spread a number of unfounded rumors over the past several weeks designed to hurt candidate Dr. Jonathan Kerr at the polls.
It’s difficult to identify the people spreading misinformation because it usually happens in conversations on the doorstep or in coffee shops and pubs. But it’s clear that whoever has started or is spreading the allegations doesn’t want Kerr to get elected.
Why? Probably because the negative campaigners worry that the control of the Comox Town Council is at stake.
Kerr is a progressive candidate who has been endorsed by three sitting council members and, if those four votes coalesced on important issues, that threatens the stranglehold on power held by the old guard of Russ Arnott, Maureen Swift and Ken Grant.
It’s uncertain whether Steve Blacklock, the other frontrunner in this election, shares values with the old guard or the younger progressive population growing in the town. He may well march and vote to his own beat.
But to those afraid of losing power in Comox, it is Kerr who must be defeated at all costs.
The allegations directed at Kerr by themselves aren’t that serious. Some are actually petty. But that’s not the point of negative campaigning. Spreading false information undermines the targeted candidate so that anyone uncertain about who to support will be less likely to vote for that candidate.
So what are the dishonesties being spread in this campaign?
Kerr has been accused of taking false credit for the recruitment of four new physicians to the medical clinic in Comox where he practices family medicine. Even people who have endorsed Blacklock have repeated this deceit.
But Decafnation contacted one of the owners of Sea Cove Medical Clinic who confirmed that Dr. Kerr did indeed recruit the four new doctors.
“Jonathan is our clinic lead and has been very effective in that role. He was lead recruiter of four new doctors to our clinic. Working with our clinic manager, he was the voice of the clinic … we couldn’t have done it without him,” Dr. Carol Ostry told Decafnation via email.
It has also been insinuated that Kerr would use Comox Council as a stepping stone to running for provincial or federal offices. But this charge appears baseless. Decafnation could not find any evidence that Kerr has ever shown interest in higher-level politics, and he denies it now.
Of course, jumping from local government to the provincial Legislature is not uncommon in the Comox Valley. Among those who’ve made that leap are Social Credit Stan Hagen, BC Liberal Don McRae and current MLA Ronna Rae-Leonard of the NDP. And ex Comox Mayor Paul Ives unsuccessfully sought the provincial nomination from the BC Liberal Party while serving on the council.
The latest untruth surfaced this week when a Comox resident contacted Kerr to ask if it was true that he was “pushing for a ban on residential, outdoor Christmas lights.” The person had heard the allegation from a neighbor who said it came from “someone associated with” Blacklock.
Kerr says it’s a ridiculous fib. He told Decafnation that anyone who knows him also knows that he “loves Christmas lights.”
Some of the negative campaigning might be the work of members of an anonymous group called Concerned Comox Valley Citizens who placed an attack ad in the Comox Valley Record alleging that Kerr would bring provincial party politics to local government. (Decaf note: When you send an email to the address they provide, you get no response.)
Aside from the unscrupulous aspect of an anonymous attack ad, the effect of introducing party politics at the local government level is a reasonable campaign debate point.
The Kerr campaign made itself vulnerable on this issue when a group of his supporters decided to call themselves the Comox Greens. That was a poor decision because it suggests a provincial party affiliation, whether or not it was intentional.
Kerr defends aligning himself with the Comox Greens because he says the 50-plus members are merely local citizens who share what’s known globally as the six “green values.” And, he says, there are members of the NDP, the federal Liberal Party and others among his supporters.
But that might not convince people who see the color of his signs and the inclusion of “Comox Greens” on his campaign material as a direct Green Party link.
Candidates can’t control all of the people who support them, so sometimes overzealous campaigners say things they know aren’t true or that they haven’t bothered to question.
And sometimes they do it for nefarious motives.
In any case, mudslinging and spreading false information have no place in local politics. It reeks of desperation and it’s really election bullying.
Decafnation contacted Blacklock this week about the attacks on Kerr. He told us that the allegations about his opponent “sound ridiculous to me,” and he vehemently denied any involvement in them. He said he doesn’t condone negative campaign tactics and would tell his supporters not to engage in them as well.
IN OTHER ELECTION NEWS
— Decafnation asked each of the candidates about their vaccination status. Blacklock, Kerr and Don Davis said they were fully vaccinated. Judy Johnson declined to comment on her vaccination status.
— The two frontrunner candidates, Kerr and Blacklock, have diverse opinions on a proposed bylaw change about urban agriculture and allowing backyard chickens in particular. Kerr and the other two candidates, Don Davis and Judy Johnson, all support the proposed bylaw change. Blacklock opposes it.
— Advance polling numbers indicate that voter turnout might be strong. Fewer people normally vote in by-elections than in general elections. But on the first day of advance voting last week, 412 people cast ballots. That compares with 390 on the first day of advance voting in the 2018 general municipal election.
This article has been updated to correct Judy Johnson’s vaccination status.
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This article reads like a high school newspaper gossip column. Rumours, hearsay, and no sources.
“Kerr has been accused of taking false credit for the recruitment of four new physicians to the medical clinic in Comox where he practices family medicine. Even people who have endorsed Blacklock have repeated this deceit.”
“It has also been insinuated that Kerr would use Comox Council as a stepping stone to running for provincial or federal offices.”
“The latest untruth surfaced this week when a Comox resident contacted Kerr to ask if it was true that he was “pushing for a ban on residential, outdoor Christmas lights.” The person had heard the allegation from a neighbor who said it came from “someone associated with” Blacklock.”
No wonder trust in journalism is declining.
Sam — I have sources, names and documentation for each of the three items you mention. And it’s not journalism per se that has declined, but advertising revenues that have caused news organizations to lay off journalists.
Are we having a contested by-election in Comox?
Maybe we have a slightly ugly campaign!
I have worked in the last number of elections here helping progressive candidates with signs, building and even placing some.
This one is different to me in that so far I have seen and fixed 6 vandalised (that’s six) [1 for Judy Johnson and 5 for Jonathan Kerr], signs needing complete rebuilds, most with signs kicked out of their frames plus supports broken.
One sign now complete with graffiti….
At one site the bits were neatly piled with lumber stacked up.
Somebody sending a message?
I am astonished to find ‘backroom’ (smear) politics in a Comox councilor’s by-election, but I guess desperate people who want a vote to go a certain way will do anything, no matter how unethical. A smear like Christmas lights is actually dastardly for goodness sake??? Let’s hope Dr. Kerr wins and Comox is installed with city councilor that cares about its residents and its issues, not their own specific advancement.
In 2021, we have the anonymous “Concerned Comox Valley Citizens” group.
In 2011, we had the anonymous “Comox Valley Common Sense” group.
In between, there was another anonymous group which, like the other two, professed to speak for the Citizens of the Comox Valley but in fact only echoed the sentiments of political party adherents that use the term “Dogwood” as a derogatory, dog whistle phrase.
Why am I not surprised. It’s always from the same political position – I got mine Jack.
Let me get this straight. Supporters of Steve Blacklock are using attack ads and dirty tricks characteristic of the Federal Conservatives and the BC Liberals because they’re offended by Jonathan Kerr’s respect for the core values of the Green Party. Bringing in something negative from federal and provincial politics is OK but not bringing in something positive. That makes perfect sense, about as much sense as Dr. Kerr being an admirer of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Christmas lights? When there are thousands of patients in the Comox Valley that don’t have a GP. When I approached Dr. Kerr about this issue, he answered me with clear concise information and plans in an empathetic manner. He has answered every email I sent and I have seen his presence everywhere. What does it matter where anyone is from? At the heart of it, with the numbers of aging people in the valley we are in trouble. Our medical care is in crisis.
It’s sad if people resort to making negative comments about candidates – like Blacklock’s claim in Decafnation that he is a “native son”, “not some doctor from Ontario”, (odd given that he wasn’t born here, not to mention the egregious native reference). The “political” attack seems an equally odd and desperate tactic. All of us vote as we wish for a party we personally endorse in elections, including Blacklock and town councillors. I know I want councillors who are green enough to see the common sense of preparing the town for floods, fires, mudslides and heatwaves. And who cares if a councillor goes on to other political roles?
Blacklock also seems to keep echoing the same attacks as the “Concerned Comox Valley Citizens” ad and Liberal candidate Brennan Day’s letter in his communications, so it is easy to speculate that there may be a connection. Why can’t candidates just stand on their own merit? Oh, and his recent facebook ad is green and black. Does this mean he belongs to the Green Party? Let’s call all this what it is – blowing something out of proportion to try to discredit an opponent.
It’s not hard to see from his website that Kerr is an inclusive, collaborative, really smart candidate – with impressive credentials and a valid concern for protecting the town and its citizens. Perhaps this is the real threat.
George, this comment thread should not be a place for personal attacks and insinuation of relationships that are not there on an issue that even you agree pose problems to our community. I will be sure to be transparent about my associations with any political action groups should they exist.
Brennan — I don’t see an ad hominem argument in K. Hodgson’s comment. She’s looking at three similar public statements made around the same time and saying it would be easy to make a connection among them. I think that’s a fair comment.
Fair enough, this is your blog. I will take cold comfort in the fact that it would seem I am not the only one that shares concerns about party politics at the municipal level, and remain silent as the “association by similar opinion” narrative is spread.
As too: “an anonymous group called Concerned Comox Valley Citizens who placed an attack ad in the Comox Valley Record”
I have said, more than once, “if you won’t sign your full name to it, then you have nothing to say.”
As too: “on behalf of…” I have said: I speak for myself.
This “living on misinformation and spreading it along” reminds me of The Equal Access Committee that morphed into Equal Access Comox Valley. My what a stink they caused and then at the end of the day they set with the sun.
Why does the CV so actively partake in spreading false information?
Those rumours are disconcerting for such a smart and usually harmonious small town.
For anyone interested, here is an article from 2014 when Dr. Kerr left Belleville, after helping recruit 19 docs to that city in Ontario
https://www.intelligencer.ca/2014/08/14/dr-jonathan-kerr-to-leave-city
That aricle makes the stuipd rumours seems even stupider!
It is a sad commentary when Trump style politics enter our community.
I have been impressed with all the candidates after viewing the forum last week.
It is a shame that nefarious approaches and misinformation should sully our town, as
respect and decency are hallmarks of our community….even with some of the fearmongering which may be behind this effort to stop Dr. Kerr.I participated in the forum which Dr. Kerr set up, and was very impressed with his ability to thread through the presentations and sit on stage, asking important cogent questions to each presenter. As well, during the forum, most of the questions were dealt with professionally and knowledgeably by the candidates, which bodes well, hopefully, for our council.
Judging by the priorities Comox residents indicated in Jonathan Kerrs’ booth at the Comox Street Faire, he would be a strong candidate if he plans to support peoples’ wishes in the poll.
Overwhelmingly, climate change was the priority action supported by residents of Comox.
Concerning tactics playing out in this by election! We received a call on behalf of Blacklock in which the caller persisted in asking me who we voted for when I explained we had already voted and even after I declined to answer stating it was a private matter.