From: djones@CIM.McGill.CA (David Jones)
Newsgroups: can.general,can.infohighway,ont.general,alt.censorship,alt.society.civil-liberty,can.legal,can.politics
Subject: Freedom of expression on "highway" - Ontario Govt halts Ban
Date: 14 Sep 1994 00:28:57 -0400
Organization: Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University
Lines: 33
Message-ID: <355u69$ag6@Athena.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>

Until the "info" highway gets here, it is comforting to know that
Canadians can still exercise their freedom to read while cruising
"the highway" in Ontario.


[summary of CP story]

ONTARIO LIFTS BAN ON SIGNS POKING FUN AT PREMIER

TORONTO -- The Ontario government has abandoned a controversial
law that banned highway signs poking fun at Premier Bob Rae.

Farmers were ordered to remove signs from their property last
spring protesting an NDP law on farm unionization that displayed
pictures of Mr. Rae beside a jackass.

Some of the banners and billboards asked:
"Which one wants to unionize the family farm?"

The group behind the sign campaign, Ontarians for Responsible
government, took the government to court arguing that the NDP
was muzzling their freedom of expression.

Transportation Minister Gilles Pouliot issued a press release saying
the decision was made to "underscore the province's commitment
to fairness and freedom of expression".

Thom Corbett of Ontarians for Responsible Government
called the whole situation, with the NDP deciding to kill
the law they introduced, "a joke".

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