Meet the man dubbed the 'Brantford Boomer' and how a viral moment is taking over his life

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 25, 2025 9:03 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

A St. Thomas, Ont. antheral photographed flashing 2 mediate fingers outside a caller Mark Carney rally says helium regrets the impulsive gesture, saying it's led to a question of online maltreatment against his household and organizations he's been affiliated with.

The representation of Matt Janes, a section Liberal run volunteer, was taken connected Friday arsenic the retiree and different Carney supporters stood successful enactment to participate a meet-and-greet for the Liberal person astatine a Brantford brewery.

Posted online past week, the photograph went viral, with immoderate commentors dubbing Janes the "Brantford Boomer." Amid a heated national predetermination campaign, posts and memes of the photograph person racked up thousands of views on X, Facebook, and TikTok.

Speaking with CBC London Thursday, Janes rejected the nickname's implication and online suggestions his middle fingers were aimed at or symbolized apathy toward the concerns of younger Canadians, asserting the motion was solely to the lensman and anti-Carney protesters.

"There was a clump of them. They were yelling astatine the radical successful the lineup. They were calling america names," Janes said of the protesters, who were connected the different broadside of the lane way, astatine slightest 1 holding a "F--k Carney" flag.

"They had a megaphone wherever they were yelling retired conspiracy theories, and determination were cameras everywhere. They were filming us. They were taking our pictures."

Videos posted to Facebook shows 1 protester shouting an violative remark astir Carney's daughter, and different describing RCMP members arsenic "pedo protectors" and Carney supporters arsenic "pedo lovers."

As Janes and others approached the entrance, idiosyncratic filming connected their telephone came up to them, and helium says he reacted in-the-moment.

"I gave the protesters the absorption they were looking for," helium said, noting helium is regretful of his actions.

Janes, a volunteer for David Goodwin, the Liberal campaigner successful Elgin–St. Thomas–London South, was rapidly identified, and says he's since go a people of right-wing activists. Describing the past week arsenic being "a week from hell," helium said hundreds of comments forced him to delete his Facebook page.

Other organizations linked to him person besides been targeted, including a section brewery wherever helium was erstwhile the portion owner, and a assemblage enactment successful St. Thomas wherever helium volunteers.

Also being targeted online is a St. Thomas yarn store founded by his wife, but that she sold six years ago.

"We've been getting immoderate comments and posts connected our Facebook account. Also, reviews connected our Google account, emails, and a fewer telephone calls," said Jolyn Gardner, the proprietor of Little Red Mitten. "We are a tiny concern conscionable trying to bash our work, and it's causing a batch of upheaval for nary reason."

Things person continued to escalate implicit the people of the week arsenic much radical stock the photo, Janes said.

"It's taken implicit my life. My woman is precise upset arsenic well, too," he said, adding she has go self-conscious astir going retired successful public. The mates hopes things volition dice down aft the election.

"What these radical privation is they privation to discourage progressive information successful the authorities of our country."

Traumatic experience, adept says

One estimation adept says specified viral incidents person go much communal with social media, affecting much non-public individuals and those with little amounts of fame.

Suddenly being the absorption of a viral incidental tin beryllium traumatic, particularly for thing negative, said Matt Earle, president of Reputation.ca, a Toronto-based online estimation absorption firm.

"It's precise hard to woody with mentally. Usually, it's rather unfair, and radical are not truly taking immoderate clip to larn thing astir you," earlier posting their sentiment online, helium said.

Initial viral moments volition fizzle retired naturally, but Earle says the situation comes successful the leftover remnants that unrecorded connected crossed the internet.

For non-public radical who find themselves going viral, helium says it's champion to conscionable enactment retired a bully connection online oregon to the media and to prevarication low.

Describing himself arsenic being naive erstwhile the incidental occurred, Janes said that if helium were faced with a akin concern again, helium would simply disregard those looking for a reaction.