Town backs down from enforcement but continues to label political speech a "nuisance."
TORONTO: In June 2026, Cory Morgan and his registered third party, Pathway to Independence, erected a digital sign in the Town of Taber supporting Alberta independence. Cory rented the sign space from a local business that leases the land from the Town.
However, shortly after he displayed the sign, the local business received a legal letter from the town claiming the sign constituted a "nuisance" under the terms of its lease with the local business. The town threatened to exercise its rights under the lease (up to and including termination) and demanded the local business remove the sign at its own expense.
When Cory learned of the legal tactic the Town used to pressure the local business into removing his sign, he contacted The Democracy Fund (TDF). TDF lawyers have now corresponded with the Town (you can see TDF's letter here). The Town has agreed not to pursue enforcement remedies against the local business, but continues to claim the sign itself is a "nuisance."
While this effectively allows the sign to remain, the threat of government censorship still exists. Although Cory has not renewed the sign lease, he intends to display the sign again and refuses to back down. Should the Town proceed to threaten either the local business or Cory for engaging in protected political speech, TDF will take further action to secure Cory's free speech rights.
TDF Executive Director, Mark Joseph, said: "This is one of the more obvious examples of government censorship. The Town's claim that public political speech constitutes a legal nuisance is absurd, and we believe no court would uphold it on review. The legal threat against the landlord interferes with Cory's relationship with the local business and constitutes a Charter breach of his s.2(b) free speech rights. Recent case law indicates that government officials who breach Charter rights may be held personally responsible for the damage that causes. We're hopeful that the Town learned its lesson and, in future, will not wrongfully censor Cory's political speech."
About The Democracy Fund:
Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to defending constitutional rights, promoting free speech and religious freedom, and opposing religious discrimination. TDF advances these principles through litigation, public education, educational initiatives, and access-to-justice programs for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed.