Editorial – Municipal politics under attack by social media

The recent announcement by Cornwall city councillor Sarah Good that she was dropping out of this year’s Cornwall mayoral race and leaving municipal politics altogether came as a surprise, but it was not unexpected. Good led the polls in the 2022 municipal election, and in 2025 was the Liberal candidate in the federal election, earning 39 per cent of the vote.

In her announcement, Good said that “the tone of online discourse has become increasingly toxic, personal, and dehumanizing. I am prepared to be held accountable for my decisions, my votes, and my public record. That comes with the role. However, the level of personal attack has had an undeniable impact on my wellbeing.” The online discourse Good refers to is on social media, and attacks like those on Good are far too common today.

The internet — and by extension social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others — continues to grow as a cesspool of hatred, bigotry, and misogyny, just to name a few. From the comfort of their own home, anyone can become a keyboard warrior, post a comment or opinion about anything, and it will live on the internet essentially rent-free forever. Facts do not matter. There are no boundaries on what can be said. Personal insults are fair game. Trolls can say what they want with near impunity. In that environment, why would any public figure want to be subjected to that level of toxicity and vitriol?

Good was public about her issues, why she was withdrawing from the election race and leaving politics. Many politicians who have left for similar reasons have been forthright about it. In 2024, Russell Township Mayor Pierre Leroux resigned to enter municipal administration, citing a toxic, hostile, and “unprofessional” political environment. According to reporting in The Walrus, 14 per cent of municipal officials elected in Quebec in 2022 have resigned mid-term — that’s over 1,400 people — with many citing similar reasons. We know that this level of toxicity exists even here in South Dundas and that trolls live everywhere — even here.

There is a real risk to our democratic institutions, not just municipally, if this continues. Those who are already in office may say they are done with it and quit — understandably so. However, the risk is to future elections. What about the potential candidates who look at the social media landscape, the baseless attacks, smear campaigns, and outright lying on the internet? What if those potential candidates decide it is not worth it to them to subject themselves, their spouse, children, friends, and extended family to this nonsense? How many great candidates are out there who decide not to bother in the first place when this is the reward? We will never know.