The mayor of a northern B.C. village wants B.C. Supreme Court to restore her council roles, positions she was twice removed from following an allegedly racist Facebook post.
"Don't want Pipeline's? [sic] They want to protect our land. Yeah ok," Pouce Coupe Mayor Lorraine Michetti wrote in a Facebook post in February 2021, followed by pictures of homes strewn with garbage.
When it came to light, the post drew swift condemnation from the community and political leaders, which many called "racist and hateful" for its apparent depiction of First Nations housing stereotypes.
"At a time when all levels of governments are working hard to end racism and discrimination of any kind, we can not condone any comments that stereotype people or cultures and perpetuate racism," said South Peace MLA Mike Bernier at the time.
Michetti, in a published apology, said the meme was from several years ago.
Still, her council acted quickly. They asked for Michetti's resignation and removed her from committee and public functions in the village of 800, located 400 kilometres from Prince George.
Those removals, however, were overturned in B.C. Supreme Court this summer and Michetti was awarded $7,500.
Then, two councillors resigned, necessitating an August byelection.
On Dec. 13, a judge heard that the mayor’s behaviour was a campaign issue for one of the successful candidates, Danielle Veach. Within minutes of Veach being sworn in on Oct. 6, Veach made a motion to again remove Michetti from her positions. The motion passed, Michetti’s lawyer Nathalie Baker told the judge.
“Her first item of business as a new council member,” Baker said, describing her client’s shock. “[Michetti] felt she had been ambushed by council and staff.”
Michetti’s response was, “'Oh, I see this is gang up on the mayor,'" Baker told the court.
Baker said Michetti had no clue the motion was coming, that she had no warning to prepare and that the council had breached rules of procedural fairness.
“It was essentially a disciplinary action,” Baker said, adding Michetti had a right to know charges against her.
“This must be a very uncomfortable situation in a small community,” the judge said.
Michetti wants the council decision quashed.
However, the judge asked what would happen if the same thing happens again.
Baker suggested, “hopefully the court can provide some guidance on how [the council] can conduct itself.”
