Blogger Banned

Self-proclaimed "political ADHD activist" Charles LeBlanc has been barred from the New Brunswick legislature building, allegedly for harassing MLAs and staff members:

A New Brunswick blogger and political activist has been permanently barred from entering any buildings or stepping on any property within the provincial legislature district in Fredericton.

Charles LeBlanc, a prolific blogger who writes about poverty and the province's political and corporate power brokers on his website, was issued the barring notice on June 19.

The notice, posted on LeBlanc's blog, accuses him of demonstrating "unacceptable behaviour within the legislative precincts, which has included harassment and disrespectful behaviour toward legislative staff, members of the Security Detail and members of the public."

[...]

The legislature's administration committee approved the ban, including Liberal house leader Kelly Lamrock, who says his office must protect its staff from harassment.

"There are cases where security decisions are made for the well-being of members or the staff people," Lamrock said. "And there is an employer's responsibility to protect employees. Those have to be balanced with the very, very, very high duty to keep parliament open and accessible to everyone."

But Liberal MLA Abel LeBlanc says banning the blogger just doesn't make sense. "I disagree with Charlie being barred from the legislature. I disagree. Everybody has the right to come to the legislature. Their favourite saying, the Tories, is that 'It's the people's house.' Well, he's a person and he should have the right."

LeBlanc has gained notoriety in recent weeks for attempting to join New Brunswick's legislature press gallery and getting arrested at a trade conference in Saint John.

I have no idea what this guy has been doing at the legislature, so all I can say is that his blog makes him look, well, eccentric at the very least.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at June 21, 2006 06:02 PM