Council requests report on graphic abortion ads on buses
A plan to put anti-abortion ads on transit buses is about to be re-examined by city staff.
On Monday night, city councillors asked for a staff report, which they expect in about six weeks.
The idea came from Coun. Diane Therri en. She asked that staff report on whether council could stop the use of“graphic and harassing images on public transit .”
“I think you all know what I’m referring to,” she said.
A national pro-life group called the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CC BR) is expected to sponsor a series of prolife ads on Peter borough Transit buses.
The graphic ads are expected to be posted on buses before the end of March. Although the city initially refused to use the ads because it would upset some riders, it relented and said the ads couldn’ t be banned after all.
CCBR then obtained a court order, in the summer, to ensure the city would stick to its promise to use the advertisements.
Therrien raised her motion under new business, after four hours of discussion and debate about other items.
Four women listened to the whole meeting, in the public gallery, so they could hear Therrien’s motion (which was approved by councillors without question or debate).
There’ s been a concerted effort lately from a group of women calling themselves Love Team Peter borough to stop the bus ads from appearing.
They’ve been holding vigils outside Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) on Saturday mornings alongside the pro-life group that has held weekly vigils there for years.
Meanwhile, a new court ruling says a city in northwest Alberta has the legal right to refuse to run a graphic anti-abortion ad on its transit buses - but that’s not expected to impact the plans fort head son Peter borough Transit buses.
Alan Barber, associate city solicitor for Peterborough, said a key difference in the cases is that Peterborough did not have a policy outlining standards that advertisers needed to meet when the CC BR ad was first submitted.
He also said the time period for the city to appeal the Ontario court ruling has expired.