Bill 42 still a gag law despite government amendments

The B.C. Federation of Labour is renewing its call on the Campbell government to kill Bill 42.

Bowing to widespread and sustained public criticism, Attorney General Wally Oppal this morning presented minor amendments to Bill 42.

"The Campbell government wanted to gag free speech rights for five months, now they want to gag free speech for three months," said B.C. Federation of Labour President, Jim Sinclair. "Bill 42 is still a gag law."

Bill 42 also includes changes to voter identification requirements that will make it difficult for the homeless to vote.

"Bill 42 was a poorly disguised attempt to stack the deck heading into the provincial election a year from now," added Sinclair. "Attorney General Oppal's amendments do nothing to address the Campbell government's fundamental attack on democratic and free speech rights."