A 含羞草研究社淪tar Trek含羞草研究社� fan who had to give up a personalized licence plate says the Manitoba government is acting like a villain on the science fiction series.
Nick Troller is heading to court next month to try to regain his licence plate that bears the message 含羞草研究社淎SIMIL8.含羞草研究社�
It was confiscated in April by the Crown-owned Manitoba Public Insurance after two Indigenous people complained the word 含羞草研究社渁ssimilate含羞草研究社� is offensive because of the long history of government assimilation policies.
But Troller says his plate refers to the catchphrase 含羞草研究社測ou will be assimilated含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 that is used on 含羞草研究社淪tar Trek: The Next Generation含羞草研究社� by aliens called the Borg, who absorb their enemies into a hive-like collective.
RELATED:
In an affidavit, Troller says he is being assimilated by the government bureaucracy and losing his freedom of expression.
含羞草研究社淭he irony of the rescission of my freedom of expression is not lost on me: I have been assimilated by the bureaucratic machine. The individualized expression on the plate has been subsumed and erased,含羞草研究社� Troller含羞草研究社檚 affidavit reads.
含羞草研究社淟ike the Borg, MPI is vastly more powerful than I. And like the Borg, it feels no need to explain itself to the people in its path when it suddenly reverses course.含羞草研究社�
In his affidavit, Troller says his licence plate was clearly tied to the 含羞草研究社淪tar Trek含羞草研究社� series. It was in a frame that contained other phrases from the Borg including 含羞草研究社淩esistance is futile含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淲e are the Borg.含羞草研究社�
Manitoba Public Insurance has not yet filed a response to the legal action, but has previously said that it retains the right to recall plates that might be considered offensive.
含羞草研究社淭he corporation含羞草研究社檚 position in this matter was clearly stated in the letter to the customer. With legal proceedings impending, Manitoba Public Insurance respectfully has no further comment to provide,含羞草研究社� spokesperson Brian Smiley wrote in an email Monday.
According to MPI含羞草研究社檚 policy, licence plates can含羞草研究社檛 contain words, phrases or innuendoes that 含羞草研究社渕ay be considered offensive.含羞草研究社� Even after they are issued, the plates can be recalled since they are the property of the Crown.
Troller含羞草研究社檚 case is similar to a legal battle over a personalized licence plate in Nova Scotia.
Lorne Grabher had his plate with the text 含羞草研究社淕RABHER含羞草研究社� his last name, revoked after it was deemed offensive to women.
RELATED:
Both Grabher and Troller are being supported in their court cases by the Calgary-based non-profit Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.
In its court application, Troller含羞草研究社檚 lawyer says the revocation of the licence plate contravenes the freedom of expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
An initial court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Aug. 16.
Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press
