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Canadian Town Outlaws Online Insults To Police and Officials

Posted by Soulskill on from the because-canadians-are-so-rude dept.

Pig Hogger writes: The Canadian town of Granby, Québec, just strengthened its municipal bylaw that prohibits insulting police officers and town officials by extending its "jurisdiction" to online postings. Fines range from $100 to $1,000. The town's mayor said, "In my opinion, if I threaten you via my keyboard, it's as though I am making that threat right in front of you. For me, it's the same thing." Critics worry about the implications for freedom of speech, and wonder why police and officials should get protection an average citizen does not.

7 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Not the same thing by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Threats and insults aren't the same thing. What a bunch of idiots, someone should nuke them.

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    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. Here we go again by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I hope they made it pretty darned clear what exactly constitutes an "insult". Or is it just "posts I don't like"?

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Here we go again by Alain+Williams · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Mod parent up

      One right that should be absolute is to criticise a politician for their public actions. We elect them and if we don't like what they do we must be able to say so in clear terms. This includes saying that if think they are being stupid or duplicitous.

      As regards personal insults: they should have the same protections and rights of redress for ad hominem attacks as the rest of us have - no more, no less.

  3. Suck it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let me be the first to say, the officials in Granby, Québec, suck.

    1. Re:Suck it by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 5, Funny

      he did insult them; he used english!

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      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  4. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is muslim-like mentality - ban saying something we don't like because our feelings are more important than free speech. I wonder if this Canadian town will take this to Muslim extremes where pointing out any moral issues with the officials, or that they are ineffective in their jobs will be seen as a reason to arrest someone.

    Whatever you do don't draw a cartoon of the mayor.

  5. Re:WTF by wisnoskij · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Its not Muslim-like, it is French-like. I was really worried, as a Canadian, until I noticed this is in Québec. Their entire legal system is filled with laws that could never pass our constitution, for the rest of the country. We don't tend to have legal precedent bleed into the the rest of the country; Quebec is more like a separate country to Canada than America is.

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    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.