The Justice Centre was interviewed by CBC last week about the RCMP’s decision to charge a man $543 for displaying a profane anti-Harper sign in the rear window of his vehicle.
Rob Wells of Leduc, Alberta, said that he placed the bright-pink sign in his vehicle with the words “F____ Harper” because of his political disagreements with the Harper government.
“Obscenity and profanity do have a degrading and debasing effect on society,” stated Justice Centre president John Carpay.
“It’s something that should be discouraged, but it should be discouraged by citizens, not by the raw use of state power in the form of a $500 ticket.”
The ticket was issued because of the “distraction” and not based on its obscenity. A law banning obscene or profane language in public might possibly be upheld as valid by a court. But banning speech because it’s a “distraction” sets a dangerous precedent for other political, moral and religious expression.
