Stricter bylaw for junk mail is 'slippery slope,' says director of Calgary civil liberties association

Slapping a "no junk mail" or "no flyer" sign on your mailbox can stop some unwanted mail, but not all of it.

Calgary's current bylawonly prevents commercial pamphlets from landing in your mailbox.

• Calgary neighbourhood bylaw open to suggestions from public

But nowthe city is considering extending the rulesto cover non-commercial junk mail, such as anti-abortion flyers.

Sharon Polsky is against the idea.

Sheis a director and vice president with the Rocky Mountain Civil Liberties Association and expressed her opinion about the issue Thursday on the Calgary Eyeopener.

The following is an edited and condensed transcription of her interview with hostJennifer Keene.

Q: We know the city is considering this because it's in the bylaw survey. Why are you against the idea?

A: Well, the problem is it's a slippery slope. We have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we have the freedom of expression in this country And if we start chipping away and cherry picking based on individual preferences, where does it end?

Keep in mind, it doesn't necessarily prevent unwanted activity. It prohibits. So even if the bylaw is changed to prohibit other material from landing on your doorstep it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to stop.

Q: I think people can understand the argument that, you know, if somebody wants to go out and stand on soapbox in the town square and talk about why they are against abortion that they should have the right to do it and you have the right to walk by and not listen to them. But there's something about that flyer coming to your house that feels, I imagine to some people, like a violation of their privacy.

A: Certainly a trespass on your property. Keep in mind the charter does not give us a right to property and it's an implied right to privacy. So it's delicate.

We're talking about neighbourhoods and most neighbourhoods in Calgary have the community newspaper. A bylaw like this would prevent it.

Q: Isthat right? It could go that far?

A: Why not? If it's not commercial.

The fallout from something like this, we have to think about what might the unintended consequences. It might be very, very deep.

Q: But usually when the city moves towards something like this it's because they've received a number of complaints.

It is reactionary and typically the people who are content don't speak up, and so it is the old squeaky wheel.

Q: And what rights are they concerned about protecting?

A: The right to not be bombarded with material and messages that they don't want to be bombarded with. Problem is, we get messages, whether it's on TV, onthe radio, in the newspaper, graphic images on cigarette packs there's all sorts of things.

So, where do we draw the line? By protecting the right to express views that land in our mailboxes, that people are taking exception to now, also protects the rights of everybody.

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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener