Abbass opens up
Mayoral candidate talks social media, criticism and why he’ll win
Editor’s note
This is the third of six stories profiling the mayoral candidates in the upcoming CBRM municipal election. In this installment, candidate Chris Abbass talks about the criticism he’s faced on social media and why he thinks he’ll be the next mayor.
SYDNEY — He’s been compared to Donald Trump and accused of being misogynistic and homophobic.
But Cape Breton Regional Municipality mayoral candidate Chris Abbass says he’s been both misunderstood by the public and wrongfully maligned by his political foes.
A 58-year-old North Sydney resident and member of the famed photographic family, Abbass has emerged as a controversial figure in the six-person race to become the next leader of the municipality. He says it all dates back to a social media post he made on Sept. 4 at 11:28 a.m. that called out incumbent Cecil Clarke and councillor Amanda McDougall for focusing on their personal lives instead of their platforms.
In the case of the openly gay Clarke, Abbass questioned why he made frequent mention of his husband, while in McDougall’s case, he questioned the expectant mother’s posts about “gardening and family time.” People immediately began voicing their disapproval.
“The heat came from this thing so fast and furious it was unbelievable,” Abbass told the Cape Breton Post in a recent interview.
“It probably wasn’t the best post that I wrote but there’s nothing misogynistic in there. I’m using the terms they use. What, is it that once Cecil Clarke uses the word ‘gay’ then nobody else can use that term because he’s gay and we’re not?”
“Or once one candidate is pregnant, she’s the only one that can use that word? Because if we do there’s something wrong with us, we’re oppressive? I think we’re setting a bad precedent here, especially with everybody saying to me that I’m bashing Amanda McDougall because I’m calling her out on her expenses, I’m calling her out on it and she addressed none of them.
“The election is not about my wife, or Mr. Clarke’s husband, or Amanda McDougall’s partner.”
In fact, Abbass admitted he is targeting McDougall — but not due to her gender, but because she’s the perceived frontrunner.
“She’s the one to beat so why wouldn’t I focus on the one to beat? I don’t want to come in second. I didn’t spend all this money and all this time to come in second,” said Abbass.
“I’m no prince, I’ll tell you that right now — never have been — but I’m interested in doing something and doing something right and talking in plain language and stating in plain language, ‘Hey, you’re spending too much of our money,’ and they turned it into ‘Why are you bashing her?’
“I’m sure she’s a nice person. If I was to try to run against her by being nicer than her — everybody is saying I’m not that nice. Well, I guess I’m no prince, but whatever the people who are saying these things, I’m certainly not that.”
And Abbass said he’s been called much worse than ‘not nice’ during the campaign.
He said people online have accused him of spousal abuse, sexual crimes, fraud and spreading hate literature — all claims he called “total fantasy.”
“If we’re talking about attacks, if you were to go on Facebook and look, then you’ll see attacks. People that follow me from post to post to post, just with insult after insult after insult, personal remark after personal remark, threat after threat after threat,” he said.
Abbass said his wife has also been the victim of his detractors. He said her car has been spit on because of the Abbass for Mayor sign she has in it and that they even phoned police after a co-worker allegedly made a threatening remark.
However, Abbass said he also has his supporters.
“I’m getting dozens and dozens of phone calls every day from people supporting me,” he said.
“They like what I’m saying. They like the plain language I’m using. They like the idea of holding the mayor and councillors accountable.
“We’ve got to start tightening our belts around here and that starts with mayor and council.”
And while he has his share of critics, Abbass said that message will resonate with enough voters to make him the next mayor.
“Absolutely,” he said when asked if he thinks he can win the race. “Why do you think they’re all so adamantly at me?”