The office of Canada's Governor General is turning off comments on all its social media accounts after a rise in "violent threats."."In recent months we have witnessed an increase in abusive, misogynistic and racist engagement on social media and online platforms, including a greater number of violent threats," the office posted on social media Monday.."As a result, we will be turning off comments on our social media platforms to ensure that all those who consult our information can do so in an environment that is respectful to all.".Mary Simon, the first indigenous person to hold the position of governor general, was personally distressed by some of the comments left on her social media page..The governor general's office said in a statement the comments have been "harmful on a personal level to the governor general, harmful to the people that consult these platforms in search of information, and harmful to the mental health and well-being of our employees who work to manage these accounts daily.".A 2020 report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, obtained by CBC News through an access to information request, reported "political figures in Canada are facing threats of violence and online abuse with increasing regularity.".Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several of his cabinet members faced harassment in recent months. During the Liberal retreat in January, a group of protestors swarmed cabinet at they travelled through Hamilton, ON..Back in August, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was yelled at by a man in Grande Prairie, AB who called her a "traitor.".The RCMP said they would investigate the incident.
