Ontario city orders homeowner to remove Trudeau flag and people aren't happy
An Ontario city has ordered a homeowner to remove a flag using an offensive (to some) slogan disparaging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The home in Port Colborne is flying a banner that reads "F**k Trudeau" and several people called the city's bylaw department to complain, according to Niagara This Week.
Free speech or hate speech? Port Colborne resident ordered to remove vulgar banner - https://t.co/6HZhQ5dNHG
— Doug Peterson (@dougpete) November 18, 2021
The city says the flag is in violation of its Property Standards bylaw, which states: "Exterior walls of a dwelling and their components shall be free of signs unauthorized by the Corporation of the City of Port Colborne, painted slogans, graffiti and similar defacements."
A city spokesperson confirmed the banner was ordered removed.
But that is not sitting well with many people who feel the homeowner has a right to display the flag and voice his opinion on the PM.
"We do not have free speech in Canada," one person wrote on Twitter.
Others compared the flag to the Stop Harper sign, which started with a Senate page and spread to stop signs.
"Stop Harper" sign held up by a parliamentary page was defended by most Canadian media so there should be no problem if that homeowner puts up a "Stop Trudeau" sign as a replacement.
— sportsfan_ian (@sportsfan_ian) November 18, 2021
Others argued the Trudeau sign doesn't violate the bylaw.
Don’t think it violates their bylaw, at least as it’s described in the article…
— Marco (@marcomartok) November 17, 2021
Still others say the sign is just vulgar.
This is not free speech, this is just being ignorant & stupid!
— JudGar 🇨🇦 (@judgar64) November 17, 2021
Whatever people's opinion, it seems like the homeowner is not backing down, and by the looks of a recent photo, has added another sign.
"Rightfully so, it looks like the home owners won't be backing down, and are using the 'FYMM' approach," one person tweeted, referring to the phrase "f*ck you, make me."
