Mental health group denounces comments on suicide of ex-MP
The head of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Saskatchewan branch says it is unfortunate that Dave Batters’ suicide was fodder for a political argument.
Though he has since apologized, former NDP employee and candidate Brian Sklar called out Senator Denise Batters in at least three social media comments on Wednesday, referencing her husband’s mental illness in each comment.
All were to the effect that Batters is “only sitting in the Red Chamber because her husband, the MP, committed suicide.”
“Dave Batters’ suicide and any other suicides that have happened are just tragic circumstances,” said Phyllis O’Connor, executive director of Canadian Mental Health Association, Saskatchewan division.
“It’s just a tragic end to someone who is suffering from a mental health problem. … It’s very unfortunate when someone would use that in a political arena because that is just totally inappropriate.”
Since writing the comments, Sklar has also been subject to insensitive Facebook posts.
On his personal Facebook page and on Batters’, he has received at least a dozen insults relating to his character, political leanings and personal appearance.
People have called him a “no talent low life” and a “truly vile and evil son of a bitch.”
O’Connor said cyberbullying and harassment is “a very toxic, dangerous thing.”
“I don’t know if (perpetrators) really feel they’re having that profound an impact,” she said, “but we’ve seen so many times” that it does.
Youth specifically are vulnerable to cyberbullying, said O’Connor, and some commit suicide as a result.
None of Sklar’s detractors has told him he should die, a popular insult on social media.
Generally online, said O’Connor, “There’s comments like ‘You’re worthless and go kill yourself,’ and unfortunately some (people) do. This is a real problem within social media.”
Dave Batters was the Conservative MP for Palliser from 2004 to 2008.
He was 39 years old when he committed suicide on June 29, 2009, at the couple’s east Regina home.
Since her husband’s death, Denise Batters has become an advocate for mental health. Former prime minister Stephen Harper appointed her to the Senate in January 2013.
In 2015, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness named her the Champion of Mental Health Parliamentarian.
“Apparently in (Dave Batters’) case, people were really unaware that he was even suffering until it was too late,” said O’Connor.
“Denise Batters has done wonderful things in the years since her husband’s suicide to make sure nobody else has to go through that, or try to make sure nobody has to go through that.”
Batters was unavailable for an interview. She posted about Sklar on her Facebook page on Wednesday.
“You’re free to hold your own opinions,” she wrote, “but my husband’s suicide is not a topic of discussion for you to score cheap and misinformed political points. Especially galling is the fact that you would choose to make those comments the day before the anniversary of his death.”
Sklar said Thursday morning he had emailed an “absolutely unequivocal apology” to Batters.
“It was a dumb thing to do and I have apologized,” said Sklar. “I have nothing else to say.”
He also posted a short apology on her Facebook page, to which she replied: “Apology accepted. Please don’t post on my social media again.”
Sklar ran for the federal NDP in 2011 and most recently ran for Regina city council in 2016. He worked for the provincial NDP in executive council until 2011, but has since volunteered for the party.
Provincial NDP Leader Nicole Sarauer denounced Sklar’s comments.
“There’s no place for that type of language or discourse in political discussion,” she said. “Let’s talk about ideas and debate on policy, but there’s no room and it’s not appropriate for any sort of personal attack.”
Sarauer added that Sklar does not represent the views of the NDP.
“His actions aren’t reflective of the party, he does not speak for the party, he will continue to not speak for the party and the comments that he made on social media are entirely inappropriate,” Sarauer said.