In an article from the CBC today, Little Sisters Bookstore in Vancouver will not be able to bill the Government of Canada for its $2 million-dollar debt for discriminatory, homophobic bans on its incoming merchandise. Although the Supreme Court, in 2000, ruled the actions of the customs officers to be "oppressive and dismissive," it still upheld the rights of Customs Canada guards to ban material from entering the country. The decision comes on the not-so-surprising heels of a new Conservative decision to put the axe through a special fund Pierre Trudeau had put into motion to allow minorities and marginalized groups to pay for court fees and fight for their rights.
In the late 90s, the Little Sisters Bookstore had their merchandise (like the Advocate, Pat Califia's Public Sex) stopped and held at the Canadian-American border. A couple of customs officers, arbitrarily, deemed the material offensive. Full history available here.
In the late 90s, the Little Sisters Bookstore had their merchandise (like the Advocate, Pat Califia's Public Sex) stopped and held at the Canadian-American border. A couple of customs officers, arbitrarily, deemed the material offensive. Full history available here.
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