06) GAGGING IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA
(The
following
article is from the February 1-14, 2009, issue of People's Voice,
Canada's
leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the
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People's Voice
Editorial
Under the pretext of controlling
"election advertising," British Columbia has launched one of the most
far-reaching censorship laws in the world. Starting on Feb. 13,
organizations or individuals who speak out on the issues and parties
involved in the May 12 provincial election face the possibility of
severe legal penalties. The labour movement has been fighting the law
since the Campbell government introduced the legislation, and the
matter is headed to court.
But the
law's full impact was
not widely understood until the Vancouver-based Renters at Risk
coalition received a letter from Elections BC last November. The letter
warned that "Our review of the Renters at Risk campaign during the
campaign periods of the Vancouver-Burrard and Vancouver-Fairview
by-elections identified several instances of messaging that appeared to
be election advertising."
Election
advertising is defined
as anything that describes issues or legislation, associates them with
politics and directly or indirectly takes a promotional or oppositional
position, starting 60 days before the campaign officially begins, or
during a byelection. Punishment for "unregistered groups" which violate
the ban is a $10,000 fine, imprisonment for one year, or both.
Advertisers, bloggers and anyone else who expresses a public opinion
will have to register, post their names and phone numbers, disclose
funding and meet spending limits of $3,000 per constituency and
$150,000 province-wide.
Everyone
knows the law is aimed
at the trade union movement, the main target of the Campbell government
for eight years. It's properly termed a "gag law," violating the
freedom of speech of all British Columbians, and it must be repealed.