By Canadian Press

After court challenge, Ottawa mayor opens Twitter feed to everyone again

Nov 2, 2018 | 1:15 PM

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson will let political critics read his Twitter feed again after several went to court claiming he violated their constitutional rights by blocking them.

They argued that even if he doesn’t like what they say about him, they have a right to see what their mayor says on social media.

The case launched last month is the first of its kind in Canada.

The group behind the case, which includes a University of Ottawa law professor who has run for the NDP, and campaigners for the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, are vocal and frequent critics of Watson.

The group argued in court filings that Watson would have been fine using a Twitter function that hides their tweets from him, but he went too far by blocking them from seeing anything he says on the social network.

Young minds, big ideas: Elementary students learn about urban planning with 'Box City'

17h ago

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Watson at first said his Twitter account is personal and the City of Ottawa has other Twitter feeds for official news.

In their court filing, the group argued the mayor often shares public information that isn’t on the city’s official feeds, such as the city’s recovery after tornadoes ripped through the national capital in September.

In a tweet Friday, Watson says he agrees that he tweets public information as part of his duties as mayor, so his feed should be public.

The trio will no longer be blocked from his Twitter account, Watson says.

The Canadian Press