Bullies are everywhere

This week, the Airdrie City View touched on a societal problem in several articles: bullying seems to be alive and well.

The City recently began investigating the possibility of incorporating an anti-bullying bylaw. Although we aren’t sure what it would look like or how it would be enforced, we are in favour of stopping abusive people.

But mean-spirited, pushy people aren’t just a part of our schools, they can be active at work, church and in our own neighbourhoods.

This week, a concerned Airdronian sent us a letter telling of how cruel a neighbour was. (See letter page 9).

Trish Payne and her family lost their female black and grey tabby cat who was recently spayed. Frantic to find their missing pet, Payne’s two daughters, ages nine and 11, hung posters on mailboxes in their Allendale community in hopes of finding their one-year-old friend.

After seeing a neighbour ripping the posters off and confronting him, Payne was allegedly treated rudely and told hanging notices on mailboxes was “illegal” and had a door slammed in her face.

The next day, Payne received a call from a woman claiming to be from Canada Post.

She was told she would be receiving a bill for a $500 fine for defacing a Canada Post mailbox.

Distraught, Payne wondered how someone could be so cruel. Angered, we here at the Airdrie City View contacted Canada Post and were told in no uncertain terms that the organization doesn’t levy fines for taping posters on mailboxes.

The representative said it “sounded a little over the top” and asked for a copy of the letter.

Payne was pleased when we informed her she wouldn’t likely be receiving the fine, but it left those of us in the newsroom scratching our heads and asking the question: what kind of a person would go that far to get their point across, especially to a family that is devastated to have lost its pet?

The neighbour, and his accomplice, are bullies – people that like to control and hurt others for some reason unbeknownst to the rest of us. It’s the kind of behaviour we are fighting against in our schools and communities.

So if you want to help fight against bullying and live near Allen Street in Airdrie and see a cute little tabby with a shaved tummy, please call Payne at 403-831-4694.