Advertisement

News

Free speech breach

So what does a $930 million security budget buy? Kilometres of concrete and chain link fence? Yes. Thousands of extra police officers? Yes. Protection for peaceful expression? Not so much.

[rssbreak]

Since the security measures were unveiled, we at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have been insisting that our democratic rights – including freedom of peaceful expression and assembly – deserve just as much protection.

One small indication of how large that gap in protection actually may be is the issue of tables.

Bryant Greenbaum, a lawyer, wanted to provide for an informed discussion on a G20 issue he cares about by standing beside a literature table. He presumed that Queen’s Park, the area the government pegged as the “ideal location” for grassroots community expression, would be the place to do that. Apparently, he was mistaken.

After a series of emails, the Integrated Security Unit informed him that booths and tables will not be permitted at Queen’s Park.

There could, of course, be good reasons for this decision, although in the absence of any explanation from the ISU we are left to guess.

Guess number one: The authorities could be worried about not having enough space. On Saturday at 1 pm, for example, thousands are expected to gather for the People First march. Even so, there must be time when the park will not be so full as to preclude booths and tables.

Guess number two: There could be legitimate concerns about the impact tables might have on flower beds or other typical park uses. Queen’s Park, however, regularly hosts large events with massive stages, tents and hundreds of tables.

The most likely reason, of course, is that someone is worried about the security risk tables pose. We’ve seen many city fixtures whisked away in the name of security: garbage cans, bus shelters, even small trees. Whatever you think of the removal of our garbage cans, we should raise our collective eyebrows at the prohibition of information tables in Queen’s Park.

The government went out of its way to say that freedom of expression would be particularly accommodated in this area. What kind of designated free speech forum has an absolute ban on booths or tables?

What, exactly, are we worried about here? That someone will hide something under a table? That a group of people will spontaneously pick the table up and walk it the 2 kilometres to the outer security fence? That tables will be turned on their sides and used as barricades?

If there is some risk associated with this peaceful expressive activity, it should be the government’s job to protect our fundamental democratic rights, not shut them down. There should be space and, if necessary, protection for many forms of peaceful expression. Somewhere in that $930 million security budget there should be enough money to ensure that peaceful expression at Queen’s Park is protected – even if it involves tables.

And if this one policy decision is any indication of the latitude that will be given for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the rest of the city, we have serious cause for concern.

Abby Deshman is project director at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

news@nowtoronto.com

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted