Calgarians may no longer have to fear the graphic image of fetuses showing up in literature on their neighbourhood doorsteps.
Calgary city councillors gave final approval to a bylaw that doesn’t limit the dissemination of the graphic materials, but it does put rules around how it’s delivered. This was approved unanimously by members of council.
The bylaw warrants that safeguards are in place to conceal the images. They must be in an opaque envelope, they must carry a graphic content warning and include the name and address of the sender.
Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, who championed the work on this file, said good research and homework on the topic meant for a quality bylaw that was better for Calgarians. She said the bylaw took a long time to craft, as many thought you couldn’t restrict this kind of content – even at citizens’ doorsteps.
When asked how she thought Calgarians who have fought for this would feel about this victory, Wyness said it would be a sense of relief.
“Women who have experienced pregnancy loss families who have experienced pregnancy loss, now don’t have to be fearful about a graphic image of something that they wanted coming to their door,” she said on Tuesday.
“It just re-traumatizes them every time these came, without a warning.”
The three requirements of the bylaw amendment carry separate fines of $1000 if violated.
If Calgarians receive a flyer with a graphic image of a fetus that is not enclosed in an envelope, with both a warning label and sender’s address, they may call 311 to report it.
