Liberal MLA says protester's visit to her home left her 'terrified'
A Nova Scotia Liberal MLA says her experience with a man protesting the provincial government's bill to impose a contract on teachers left her "terrified."
Joyce Treen, who represents Cole Harbour Eastern Passage, said the man called her home number after midnight and knocked on her front door. She said the visit to her home went too far.
"He appeared at my house Friday afternoon after I got home — at my house knocking at my door. It terrified me. I didn't open the door to him because he was holding his protest sign," she said.
"I asked him what he was doing at my house and he said he wanted to speak to me and I said 'No, you're scaring me. You've made me uncomfortable and can you please leave.'"
"I started yelling for my husband and he took off running down the stairs and went to his car."
She said the man has bragged about calling her home late at night on social media and has emailed her repeatedly.
'Not the way to get your point across'
Last Sunday she went to church, as she usually does, at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Eastern Passage. She said people showed up outside her church to protest while service was letting out.
"There were many people out. They had noisemakers and they chanted and they had signs," said Treen
She said she felt bad for the other parishoners.
"I feel like I owe them an apology, even though it was not me … that's not the way to get your point across."
Union does not condone alleged behaviour
A group of local residents who support teachers did picket outside Treen's constituency office on Sunday, which is nearly half a kilometre down the road from her church.
But Liette Doucet, president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, said there was no picket sanctioned by the union at the church and she does not condone the kind of behaviour Treen reported.
"I would certainly not condone that. Our members have been very respectful throughout this whole ordeal as has the NSTU and up to this point I have not heard about any individual incidents of that sort," she told reporters on Tuesday.
Treen said she has been taking calls from teachers and each conversation she has usually involves a 30- to 45-minute conversation.
"Whatever it takes," said Treen.
She said the man who came to her house was on her list of people to call.
"He was the fourth on my list of next to call and now he's not getting a call because he's made me feel unsafe. I basically locked up in my house all weekend because my husband feared for my safety.
"And do you know what? I didn't sign up for that."
