We asked: What do city politicians make of Coun. Susan Stevenson's social media posts? – CBC.ca

Four months after a London city councillor was formally reprimanded for social media posts she made about homeless people, most of her political colleagues say they have concerns about her ongoing online behaviour. 

Social service agencies that operate within Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson’s ward have also expressed uneasiness with the councillor’s posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, saying she undermines the work they are trying to do to help Londoners struggling with mental health and addiction issues. 

“Social media is definitely not the best platform to have these types of complex, nuanced conversations because it has the potential to stoke division, anger, misunderstanding and is often directed toward marginalized members of our community,” said London Mayor Josh Morgan. “It’s definitely causing division.” 

Stevenson can advocate for the people in her ward but the way she’s going about it isn’t constructive, added Ward 11 Coun. Skylar Franke.

“I don’t think we need to vilify the social service agencies that provide support to people who are living unhoused,” Franke said. 

Despite the criticism Stevenson, who is serving her first term on council, is doubling down on her comments, saying she is representing her ward the best way she knows how, and that she is giving voice to the “deep pain and despair” of many who live there. 

“People are dying on the street in my ward. Businesses are dying and families are crying. If other councillors are concerned about my social media posts, I am concerned about the people in my ward and the harm that’s being done,” Stevenson said. 

Recently, Stevenson posted pictures of people sleeping on the street at Dundas and Elizabeth streets in the heart of Old East Village. She calls Ward 4 “Ground zero for our city’s drug crisis.” 

It’s a harsh sentiment but one that’s supported by the Old East Village BIA, which represents small businesses in the neighbourhood.

“We’re hearing a lot of support for her. She’s the only one doing anything, the only one willing to talk about it, to put it out there that we need to solve the problem,” said Kevin Morrison, the BIA’s general manager. 

“Does everyone agree with her approach? Maybe not. But she’s doing something instead of nothing.” 

‘I definitely have concerns’

“There are people sleeping in tents outside of a city funded shelter for sex workers. A public school is in the photo. Is this truly the best we can do? I cannot accept the unacceptable. What about you?” Stevenson wrote in one post. 

“This is not normal and it is a warning,” she posted in another, taken of a large tent set up along Dundas Street outside a storefront. A third post is a video of a fire in an Old East Village parking lot. “Meth lab in the lawn. Human poop in a french fry box on the trampoline. 20+ people sleeping back there at night, yelling cussing arguing in or near parking lot of city funded 24/7 homeless shelter. Well-run city? Equitable? Safe? Good Neighbour Agreements?” (sic). 

Many critics of the posts say Stevenson shows the problem caused by poverty, homelessness and substance use, but offers no solutions. 

“I definitely have concerns. It’s not what I would expect from a public official,” said Ward 13 Coun. David Ferreira, adding that while Stevenson is entitled to her vote and opinion, her posts undermine the work that city council, staff and social agencies are doing. 

Stevenson hasn’t asked the social service agencies she targets for a meeting, including SafeSpace, a support centre for sex workers and women in crisis. 

“My concern with the posts she makes is that she omits information that she knows to be true,” said the organization’s head, Jenna Rose Sands. “It’s not helpful. If she is concerned about people, I’d like to see her plan. Criticism without solutions that are rooted in reality just wastes collective capacity and time.” 

The agency’s mission goes against the city’s desire to keep women and girls safe, Stevenson contends. Her issue, she said, is with “council and city administration” for funding SafeSpace, not with the organization itself.

“I disagree that we should be funding them and I disagree that we should be funding them in that location. As a city, what is our stance on sex work and how do they fit in to our commitment to a safe landing for girls and women?”

Previous reprimand

Councillors voted in December to reprimand Stevenson over social media posts she made in the fall, following through on a recommendation by the city’s integrity commissioner, which found she breached council’s code of conduct. Pictures of people on a sidewalk in Old East Village were “unnecessary and insensitive” because they also included complaints about criminal activity, the integrity commissioner ruled. 

Stevenson rejected the reprimand, saying the integrity commissioner didn’t follow the proper protocol when investigating a complaint against her. 

The code of conduct states that councillors “shall serve and be seen to serve their constituents in a conscientious, accountable, transparent and diligent manner,” and perform their functions “with integrity, independence and impartiality” and accurately communicate decisions of council “even if they disagree with council’s decision.” 

“I always have concerns when information is shared about votes of council and a colleagues says they don’t understand something even after a committee voted on that,” said Ward 12 Coun. Elizabeth Peloza. “I’ve heard from community members concerned about their safety and the harm that’s being done, especially when we have partners that are trying to move forward with initiatives.” 

Council’s code of conduct is mum on social media posts and how councillors should conduct themselves online. Ward. 2 Coun. Shawn Lewis, along with Stevenson, will ask that the code of conduct be reviewed to see if that should be added. 

“The code of conduct is out-of-date and we have to ask ourselves some questions about what standards we’re going to hold ourselves to,” Lewis said. “The Ontario ombudsman actually recommends there be specific language around social media if you’re going to apply your code of conduct that way, so I think we need to have a discussion about that.” 

Lewis said there have been “concerning posts” by councillors besides Stevenson, namely Ward. 6 Coun. Sam Trosow, who questioned why councillors were allocating a large amount of money to the police budget but not the Housing Stability Bank or the library. 

What your councillor said

CBC News reached out to every city councillor over the last few days to ask them if they have concerns about social media posts. Councillors Hadleigh McAllister, Sam Trosow, Steve Lehman and Paul Van Meerbergen didn’t reply to interview requests. 

Here’s what the others had to say: 

Mayor Josh Morgan: If you look at the engagements that are happening in the comments, I can’t possibly see how they would be perceived as constructive dialogue. We’re facing significant challenges in the city and we’re working toward solutions with the mindset of bringing together and I think social media, and particularly X (formerly Twitter) is not the best place to have nuanced discussions on complex issues.” 

Ward 2 Coun. Shawn Lewis: “I think we have to be really cautious when we’re posting online about implying motives to the decisions of other council members or imply that work isn’t being done or the work being done isn’t valuable on any particular issue.” 

Ward 3 Coun. Peter Cuddy: “Coun. Stevenson is a colleague and close friend. We don’t always agree but we always respect one another. Respect means a lot to me. Integrity is not something you can buy.” 

Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson: “I’m not doing this to please everybody and I’m not doing this to cause trouble. I’m doing it because there is deep, deep pain in my ward, on the streets, in the businesses, in the neighbourhoods. There is despair. People need leadership in city council to get them the help they need and deserve.” 

Ward 5 Coun. Jerry Pribil: “For me, social media is a distraction and any distraction is a lack of focus and concentration. If I didn’t get emails from some London residents telling me they don’t agree with some of the stuff that’s posted by fellow councillors, I wouldn’t even know about it.” 

Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman: I think councillors may have their own individual perspectives and the community should be following along with council directions because that’s how we communicate as a council. I don’t follow certain councillors on social media.”

Ward 9 Coun. Anna Hopkins: “I wish we could be more respectful and as elected officials, set that example.We have to do a better job and not be divisive and instead do what’s best for the community.” 

Ward 11 Coun. Skylar Franke: “I’ve heard from various individuals that there is some trepidation now within our social service sector to put your hand up and volunteer to do something, so I do think that some of the commentary from council in general is not helping us achieve our health and homelessness outcomes.” 

Ward 12 Coun. Elizabeth Peloza: “Yes, I have concerns. I always have concerns when information is shared about votes of council and a colleagues says they don’t understand something even after a committee voted on that.”

Ward 13 Coun. David Ferreira: “I definitely have concerns. I’m worried about possible violence. I not pleased to see her comments, because it’s not what I would expect out of a public official. It’s not the image of London we should be putting out there. It’s not who we are.” 

Ward 14. Coun. Steven Hillier: “I make a point not to comment on other councillors. That’s the way she’s doing her job and it’s not how I would do it.” 

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