New Westminster Passes Bylaw to Control Harmful Graphic Flyers

For immediate release

NATIONAL — New Westminster is the first city in British Columbia to pass a bylaw that regulates the delivery and distribution of graphic anti-abortion flyers. On Monday Jan 13, City Council enacted Graphic Image Delivery Bylaw No. 8488, which Council had unanimously supported on December 16.

The bylaw will require flyers showing alleged aborted fetuses to be delivered or distributed, provided they are inside an opaque envelope with a warning on the outside and the sender’s name and address. This protects competing interests – the freedom of expression of the anti-abortion group responsible for the flyers, and the privacy and safety of residents.

“The new bylaw allows residents who receive these flyers at home to just discard the envelope without being forced to look at the flyer,” said Joyce Arthur, Executive Director of Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada. “We know this will help prevent harm to young children, women and gender-diverse people who have had abortions or miscarriages, and people with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder.” Arthur noted that millions of these flyers have been delivered to homes across Canada since 2015 and countless shocked residents have been harmed.

“We urge other BC municipalities to follow New West’s example and enact bylaws to protect their citizens from this offensive propaganda,” said Arthur. Nine municipalities have passed similar bylaws in Ontario and Alberta with good results. When New Westminster contacted those cities to inquire about enforcement issues, they found no incidents had occurred.

“We are grateful for the strong advocacy of New West Councillors Ruby Campbell and Tasha Henderson in moving this bylaw forward, and we thank the Council for safeguarding the rights and safety of residents.”

New Westminster resident Christi Arellano:

“I was very pleased to hear that New West’s city council unanimously approved a bylaw to protect its citizens from unsolicited, and psychologically harmful graphic images. When these pamphlets were first distributed in my area in 2018, I remember being distinctly grateful that I had collected the post that day, and not my 10-year old daughter. I was furious then that my friends and neighbours should be unwittingly exposed to this shocking material, and just as furious when it happened here again this year.

“The harm to people of any age who view these graphic materials could be enormous, and the distribution of these flyers without any kind of warning as to their contents – indeed, without any way to avoid seeing their contents – showed a blatant disregard for the mental and emotional wellbeing of the residents of New West. Beyond that, abortion is healthcare, and any attempt to stigmatise or marginalize those who access this crucial and sometimes life-saving medical treatment should be stopped in its tracks. There is no place for sensationalism and propaganda in Canadian healthcare.”

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Media Contacts

https://www.arcc-cdac.ca/media/2020/07/Media-contact-list_bilingual.pdf

Other bylaws in Canada:

The following cities have passed similar graphic flyer bylaws: 

Here is ARCC’s compilation of these bylaws.

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