Ward 3 Coun. Angela Caputo is boycotting tonight's joint meeting of Sault Ste. Marie city council and the Michigan Soo's city commission.
As SooToday reported last week, the special meeting will take place tonight at 225 E. Portage Ave. across the river.
"I cannot, in good conscience, cross the border and participate in discussions about the development of our Twin Saults as though the current realities – trade disputes, unwarranted military deployments, threats to Canadian sovereignty, and grave human rights violations are not occurring in the United States," Caputo says in a letter to Michigan Sault Mayor Don Gerrie and members of his city commission.
"Being a city councillor is not always easy and it is impossible to represent everyone in the way they feel is best, but I’m doing my small part for what I think is right for humanity," Caputo added in a social media post this morning.
"The injustices need to stop. I look forward to the day all people can feel safe in the United States," she said.
"I don’t doubt the mayor or commission's motives at all," Caputo said in a further online post.
"Municipal officials are the ones closest to the people and often feel like the larger items (like ICE raids and use of military against one’s own people) are out of our control – and they largely are!
"But as I stated, this is the small and deliberate move I can make to say I do not support it. I am hopeful more municipal officials will do the same if it’s in their hearts. Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much."
The following is the full text of Caputo's letter:
Dear Mayor Gerrie and members of the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan City Commission,
I am writing to inform you that I will not be attending today's joint meeting between the municipal governments of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
I cannot, in good conscience, cross the border and participate in discussions about the development of our Twin Saults as though the current realities trade disputes, unwarranted military deployments, threats to Canadian sovereignty, and grave human rights violations are not occurring in the United States.
As a Canadian citizen, I have watched these developments with deep concern.
I promised myself that if there were any way I could use my voice to stand against these injustices, I would.
This decision not to attend is one small but deliberate action to show the people of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario that I stand with them in the face of tariffs, job losses, and the broader erosion of human rights and due process affecting people on both sides of the border.
Though we may hold different citizenships or political ideologies, we all belong to humanity.
I hope you can respect my position, and I further hope that it inspires reflection and principled action in your own leadership on behalf of your constituents.
Respectfully,
Councillor Angela Caputo
Tonight's joint meeting of Canadian and U.S. local leaders will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 5:30 p.m.