Kamloops Councillor back in the social media hotseat over tweet

KAMLOOPS – A local city councillor has found his way into some controversial dialogue over a Tweet he sent out this week. Coun. Donovan Cavers publicly tweeted at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau over the ongoing dispute on the Trans Mountain pipeline.

“Morneau go for it. Cancel equalization payments to #BC. I dare you…” he wrote.

Morneau go for it. Cancel equalization payments to #BC. I dare you…

Hey #Cascadia! looking pretty fit these days. : )@JustinTrudeau Pull. Your. Head. Out. Of. Your. Montréal. B…#Canada#UnitedStates#Cascadia

*draft bioregional map including some portions of the "U"S pic.twitter.com/iwblHn4twj

— Donovan Cavers (@DonovanCavers) April 11, 2018

Some followers who saw the Tweet, went in to clarify B.C. has not received equalization payments since 2010, according to a report from the government of Canada. These payments are a way for the federal government to help provinces that are less successful in their economies to keep providing services to their residents.

I just want to provide some clarity. BC hasn't been given equalization payments since 2009-10. So #justintrudeau can't stop what doesn't exist. Please do the research before spreading disinformation. Thanks. #fakenews

— Leonard (@leonard_mooney) April 12, 2018

The tweet received several replies including one from Lianne Milobar, the wife of former Kamloops mayor and current MLA Peter Milobar, saying Cavers should “grow up” and the City of Kamloops deserves better representation.

Public disrespect by @cityofkamloops councillor @DonovanCavers to our Prime Minister is disgraceful. #kamloops deserves better representation. Grow up. At 32+ you’re long past playing the new young councillor card & should behave appropriately, no matter how passionate you are.

— LianneMilobar (@LianneMilobar) April 11, 2018

As a resident of #Kamloops I am well aware of how you feel about professionalism but if you could hold off on the childish taunts of “I dare you” WHILE holding public office it would be greatly appreciated #unreal #unprofessional #notmyCouncilor #bcpoli

— Jasmine Beaudin (@Jasmine_Beaudin) April 11, 2018

Don't disrespect our country – CANADA! We need to move forward, trade, take care of each other. Your conduct does not serve your community and province.

— Jelena (@MyMercurialMind) April 12, 2018

Cavers continued to reply to comments made to his post, and even referred to “Cascadia”, a hypothetical country made up of British Columbia and other western areas in North America with similar political views.

Many called Cavers out for showing a lack of respect to his province, while some wrote back in agreement.

#Cascadia 100% Do It!! Pleeeeeeze

— No Verbal Filter???? (@SquaawkBox) April 12, 2018

The proposal of Cascadia being a real option for the Pacific Northwest, I'm genuinely interested and would welcome the change.

— Sean Jody Plante (@PlanteJody) April 12, 2018

This isn’t the first time the Kamloops councillor has caught the public’s eye over controversial issues through social media. Last year, Cavers turned to Twitter to apologize for sharing a photo of himself giving the middle finger to binders of KGHM Ajax material on Facebook. At the time, Cavers was a vocal critic of the mine and currently opposes the expansion of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline in British Columbia.

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