Referendum Question Proposed for Woodstock Municipal Election

Friday, 9 February 2018 13:43

A local resident has asked the city of Woodstock to consider a referendum question in the upcoming municipal election in regards to graphic images.

WOODSTOCK - A local resident has submitted a formal application to have a referendum question on the municipal election ballot this year in the City of Woodstock.

Kate Leatherbarrow has submitted the question to the City Clerk as it relates to graphic images.

If approved the yes or no question would read as follows.

"Are you in favour of the council of the city of Woodstock passing a new by-law to better protect vulnerable community members such as children, women, and high school students by requiring that signage, advertising, or other public messaging not contravene the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards?"

Leatherbarrow made headlines late last year when she brought this request to City council after her young child witnessed graphic images from anti abortion protestors.

"I did submit with my delegation multiple options for our city to revise their policies when it comes to advertising, we do have policies based on the advertising standards of Canada when it comes to our transit and when it comes to city property and I just thought from there we could easily implement the same policies when it comes to in front of High Schools and Libraries. WCI being a prime example, being within an ear shot of a library and an elementary school where public of all sorts of walks of life utilize that space and have been subjected to this inappropriate imagery."

Her request at that time was denied. Leatherbarrow says council told her it would be a slippery slop to implement her ideas from a legal standpoint.

"I think the take home note from council was to keep an eye on Toronto because, has their councillor and MP trying to get rid the same type of freedom of speech or expression as it is being called, so when they said we should keep an eye on Toronto, I just thought we shouldn't just stop there we should go further. Some on council have commented that we are not trailblazers in Woodstock, however I just feel we need to support other municipalities and other people in Canada that are being subjected to this awful imagery."

A referendum is a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to council for a direct decision. All referendum's must be submitted to council before march 1st.