After getting through their agenda at Monday's meeting, Chatham-Kent councillors took some time to talk about the hate mail they get.
Ward 6 Councillor Marjorie Crew was the first to speak about a rash of hate mail being received by councillors.
"This is the second council meeting in a row that I've come in and there's been a postcard on my desk," she said, adding that a majority of councillors had received similar postcards and that many of the messages used derogatory language.
"Somebody wasted money on a stamp, thinking that that was going to influence me," the longtime councillor said before reading out the most recent message to ensure that it would be entered into the record. "This one says: 'Dear Councillor Crew, I respectfully call on you to resign as councillor because of your egregious assault on democracy. Your weaponization of a flawed Integrity Commissioner's report to cancel and punish a councillor for introducing a common sense motion supported by many of her constituents has robbed Ward 4 of their voter rights and to have their voices heard through their elected representative. Chatham-Kent voters must never again be disenfranchised.'"
Crew responded by acknowledging that the postcard came from a limited but loud group of people.
"I won't resign," she continued. "I support democracy. I fully support it. So, please save your dimes, your nickels, whatever a stamp costs, don't waste your money sending anything to me."
The hate mail seems to focus on those who opposed Ward 4 Councillor Rhonda Jubenville's April 2023 motion to restrict which flags could fly on municipal property and the ensuing report from former Integrity Commissioner Mary Ellen Bench, that Jubenville breached Council's Code of Conduct to silence her critics.
During the council meeting Jubenville said she was unaware of the postcards.
"I just want to confirm for the public, I have no knowledge of them. I'm not behind them. I know nothing about them," Jubenville said.
Jubenville continued by revealing that she's also received negative and hateful messages from people.
"I've never brought it forward to council, but I've also received a lot of hate and a lot of attacks. I've received horrific things on my council desk as well," she said.
Jubenville confirmed to CK News Today that much of the hate mail she got was around the time that she brought her flag motion to council. She added that she never came forward with it publicly because she doesn't believe in giving power or energy back to the negativity.
"Do I condone any kind of hate mail? Absolutely not," she said. "It's not right for me to receive and it's not right for [other councillors] to receive."
Jubenville added that since her censure she's remained professional and respectful of her colleagues and recommends that anyone who supports her should behave the same way.
"I'm a democratically minded person. I believe the only way to make effective change in government is at the ballot box," she said.
During the meeting, Ward 2 Councillor Anthony Ceccacci, who also received multiple messages, stated that this is an ongoing problem.
"This has just been happening more and more and more," Ceccacci said.
"I will have a different opinion than probably everyone in this room at some point in time, but I respect every on of you for having that opinion. I'll take your calls and I'll discuss things. But what's going on now, and the type of assault in regards to the stuff on my windshield, stuff in here when I come into the chambers on a regular basis... We signed up to help our community, not to always be assassinated by a very select group of people who are trying to undermine bringing all types of voices to the council chambers," he added.
Before the topic dropped Mayor Darrin Canniff also offered his perspective. "It's good that we're having this discussion," he said. "We are here as a council to make Chatham-Kent better and that's what we're working towards. Each and every one of us are here to do that."