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CALGARY – Today, the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) named Nanaimo, British Columbia the winner of its second annual Municipal Muzzle Award for encouraging the cancellation of a comedy show over concerns that some residents might find the jokes offensive.

The runners up for the award are Cambridge, Ontario, and Grande Prairie, Alberta.

The Municipal Muzzle Award was created to recognize Canadian municipalities undermining Charter-protected free expression as a companion to the annual report, Canada’s Most Censorious Bylaws. 

To determine the winners, the CCF’s legal team reviewed bylaws from municipalities with populations of more than 50,000 across Canada and identified a growing number of local governments policing speech, protests, political expression, art, and even online comments.

Nanaimo took first place this year after city council voted to send a letter pressuring the city-owned Port Theatre to ensure booked acts were “inclusive and welcoming” following complaints about Canadian comedian Ben Bankas’ politically incorrect jokes. The theatre subsequently cancelled his sold-out show.

Christine Van Geyn, Interim Executive Director for the CCF, said Canadians should pay close attention to the growing willingness of municipalities to regulate lawful speech and be vocal in pushing back against it.

“Local governments all over the country are normalizing censorship by passing vague and overbroad bylaws that punish speech simply because someone finds it controversial or politically inconvenient,” said Van Geyn. “Canadians cannot afford to become complacent. Free expression is eroded gradually, one bylaw and one policy at a time, unless people are prepared to speak up and challenge government overreach.”

Josh Dehaas, Interim Litigation Director for the CCF, said the Nanaimo incident reflects a growing tendency among local governments to treat offence and emotional discomfort as justification for censorship.

“Canadians need to understand that there is no right to not be offended,” said Dehaas. “Governments do not get to decide which jokes, opinions, protests, or political messages are acceptable. The moment politicians start censoring expression because they dislike the viewpoint or fear controversy, everyone’s freedoms are at risk.”

Today, the CCF also unveiled a letter-writing campaign demanding that Nanaimo City Council apologize to Ben Bankas for its role in the cancellation of his performance and commit to defending free expression going forward.