Social media can be a powerful tool. Ask anyone running for public office.

The recent protest rally in Metchosin, the one at which many of the 150-odd people in attendance truly believed Prime Minister Stephen Harper would be in the area that day for a Conservative Party fundraiser, saw its numbers soar primarily through the promotion on Facebook of what local party workers say was a rumour-based invitation.

Teresa Sullivan, campaign manager for Conservative candidate Shari Lukens in the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding, was notified by a fellow party supporter a couple of days before the event of the presence of a Facebook event invite page, announcing that Harper would be in Metchosin for a private fundraiser. She found it curious that she and the source had heard nothing about the PM coming to town.

B次元官网网址淚 was surprised, first and foremost, then I got concerned that people might be looking to crash the fundraiser,B次元官网网址� she said.

Sullivan confirmed that the fundraiser, a joint event for LukensB次元官网网址� riding and the Cowichan-Malahat-Langford riding, did in fact happen on Oct. 3. She stressed, however, that B次元官网网址渢he prime minister doesnB次元官网网址檛 attend fundraising eventsB次元官网网址� and added the that the prime ministerB次元官网网址檚 public events are announced via media advisory.

Metchosin resident Wendy Mitchell, one of the organizers of the event, said word came down from B次元官网网址渁 reliable sourceB次元官网网址� the week before that Harper was B次元官网网址済oing to be flying in for a very quiet Conservative fundraiserB次元官网网址� at a private residence in the district.

By the Friday (Oct. 2), it was clear that the PM would not be attending the event, but organizers didnB次元官网网址檛 want to stop a respectful gathering of like-minded people, Mitchell said.

B次元官网网址淭he whole thing took on its own legs,B次元官网网址� she said, adding of her group, that B次元官网网址渨e all knew that we were not going to see anyone, at least not on the ground here.B次元官网网址�

Based on the fact many people already knew Harper would not be in Metchosin that day, Sullivan said the 骋补锄别迟迟别B次元官网网址檚 headline, B次元官网网址淧rime minister no-show for his own party,B次元官网网址� was erroneous.

B次元官网网址淓verybody has a right to peaceful protest,B次元官网网址� she said, B次元官网网址渂ut this was not about the protesters. It was respectful freedom of expression.B次元官网网址�

But as Gazette reporter Katherine Engqvist and Mitchell both discovered, a number of people, many of whom came from up-Island, were still fully expecting the prime minister to be in Metchosin that day.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com