Nanaimo Coun. Gord Fuller’s social media posts questioning whether retired resident John Dacombe is linked to a U.S. private military company are “outrageous,” the city’s mayor said Tuesday.
Fuller also sent an email asking about the well-being of the marriage of Dacombe and Wanda Thompson.
On Thursday, Thompson posted on her Facebook page that in response to questions about city staff, Fuller “replied suggesting that because my husband and I have different email addresses, we have marital issues.”
Mayor Bill McKay said he wrote Thompson to say: “I apologize for my colleague’s behaviour.”
“I just find the behaviour to be outrageous,” he said.
Coun. Diane Brennan emailed Thompson, saying: “Wanda, I am sick that Gordon Fuller has seen fit to send this message to you and the fact that he is using his city address makes it even more egregious. I can only speak for myself, but I am so sorry you have received this awful message.”
Dacombe and Thompson retired to Nanaimo in 2016 and became involved in local politics.
They campaigned against a proposed $80-million events centre, which was rejected by 80 per cent of voters in a March 2017 referendum.
The couple is among founding members of the group OurNanaimo.com, which states on its website that it is for better governance and better city planning.
“Nanaimo governance is absolute trainwreck,” Dacombe said.
The city has become known for acrimonious relations around the council table. Facebook pages dedicated to Nanaimo often have heated debates about local politics that feature insulting comments about various players.
Dacombe was in the military for 21 years and then served as a civilian for slightly more than five years, working as a public affairs spokesman with Canada’s Department of National Defence. Thompson was director of communications for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
Fuller posted a question on Facebook asking Dacombe if he is or was connected to Blackwater. That was once the name of an American security firm now known as Academi. It was founded by former U.S. navy SEAL Erik Prince.
Fuller’s Facebook page refers to a 2012 CBC news story stating the Canadian Forces spent $2.4 million in 2011 to train at a facility operated by Xe Services, an earlier name for Blackwater. Training included precision shooting and defensive driving, according to documents tabled in the House of Commons, the story said.
In that story, Dacombe was quoted as a DND spokesman who said using contractors is cost effective when the Canadian Forces do not have trainers available.
Dacombe said Tuesday that he was responding to a reporter for that story. In the course of a day, he could have made comments on 10 stories, he said.
In another story, he was quoted about a golf tournament. “Based on Gord Fuller’s logic, I’m connected to the golf industry,” Dacombe said. “It’s laughable. It really is.”
Dacombe said he has never worked for Blackwater and called the suggestion “ridiculous.”
When contacted by telephone on Tuesday, Fuller said that there is no dispute between himself and Dacombe and refused to answer further questions.
