Montreal mayor criticized for restricting comments on social media accounts
“This is not the way of democracy,” he said in an interview Tuesday. “This is really unethical, even, to not let the population of Montreal interact with the mayor.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is facing criticism for restricting access to her social media accounts, a move her office says is aimed at reducing online hate.
Aref Salem, leader of the city’s official Opposition, argues that Plante and her party, Projet Montréal, are curtailing citizens’ freedom of expression by blocking comments on platforms like X and Instagram.
“This is not the way of democracy,” Salem said in an interview on Tuesday. “It’s unethical to prevent Montrealers from interacting with their mayor.”
Salem emphasized that social media is one of the few ways residents can engage with Plante. While citizens can ask questions during city council meetings, the time limit of 90 seconds makes it difficult to fully express concerns. “Social media should foster connection and open dialogue with the population,” he said.
Currently, the X accounts of Plante and Projet Montréal only permit comments from individuals or organizations tagged in posts, and comments on Plante’s Instagram are restricted, with no option to tag her in stories.
A spokesperson for Plante explained that the decision was made over the summer to limit comments that were “discriminatory, violent, racist, harassing, hateful, homophobic, disrespectful, sexist, and defamatory.”
“While the mayor’s digital platforms are for discussion, it’s important that the tone remains respectful,” said Catherine Cadotte in a statement.
Salem, however, believes that elected officials are obligated to engage with the public, suggesting that Plante could handle harassment by blocking or reporting individual offenders. “Public figures must represent the entire population and accept all aspects of the role,” he said.
Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, director of the fundamental freedoms program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, criticized the blanket ban on comments, calling it an unreasonable restriction on free speech. She urged politicians to assess inappropriate comments individually.
“Elected officials with resources should expect and accept public commentary on their work if they choose to engage on social media,” she said.
In June, Quebec passed a law imposing fines of up to $1,500 for intimidating or harassing politicians, though critics warn it may threaten free speech.
Plante is not the first politician to limit comments on social media. Federal MPs across political parties have taken similar steps, including Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden, and NDP MP Laurel Collins. Last year, the Governor General’s office also disabled comments on its accounts due to rising abusive and racist content.
The issue of restricting comments has sparked debate over whether politicians should block individual accounts, preventing users from seeing their posts. In 2018, three Ottawa residents sued then-mayor Jim Watson for infringing their right to free speech after he blocked them on Twitter. The case was settled, with Watson unblocking all accounts.
Similarly, a Federal Court judge ordered Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault to unblock Rebel News founder Ezra Levant on X, following claims that blocking him limited debate on public matters.
In the U.S., the Supreme Court recently ruled that government officials can sometimes be sued for violating free speech rights if they block critics on social media.
