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Group battling to stop ‘disgusting’ pamphlets blanketing Burnaby

Hundreds of homes had these pamphlets dropped that featured graphic images
burnaby-anti-abortion-flyers
Viewer Discretion Legislation Coalition has started a federal petition to stop this kind of anti-abortion materials from being delivered to homes.

Burnaby homes were blanketed during the summer with “disgusting” and “graphic” pamphlets opposing abortion, according to local residents.

Several residents expressed their frustration with the NOW about having these materials dropped off on their doorsteps where their children could see them.

Now, a group has formed to stop this.

Katie Dean has co-founded a group called Viewer Discretion Legislation Coalition that has started a federal petition to stop these kinds of materials. 

“Our main goal is to change the law surrounding what kind of images can be used on signs for protests and demonstrations as well as how these images can be delivered to homes,” Dean said. “We are asking for a law to be created that requires graphic imagery pamphlets to be put in a ‘viewer discretion’ envelope so people get the choice to look at it.”

The NOW spoke with several local residents in July, including a Burnaby father of two children who actually photographed the material and emailed it.

Right after his children saw it.

“My kids went to get my neighbours mail as they were away,” said Dustin. “I found our 7 and 4-year-olds sitting on my neighbour’s front lawn looking at that disgusting anti-abortion pamphlet. My 4-year-old ran to his room screaming. I phoned the RCMP and they said they would call the company to suggest they don’t distribute them that way. They didn’t care to find the person distributing them.”

The group has started up a Facebook group with more information at facebook.com/groups/vdlc.london

“We will not quit until we see government take some action,” said Dean. “We are on a good path right now.”