Grabher gets appeal date in fight over revocation of personalized licence plate

Lorne Grabher displays his personalized licence plate in Dartmouth, N.S. on Friday, March 24, 2017. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press)

HALIFAX — An appeal hearing has been set for a Nova Scotia man fighting the province's decision to revoke a personalized licence plate that bears his surname -- Grabher.

The Calgary-based Centre for Constitutional Freedoms said today a full-day appeal hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 19.

Lorne Grabher says the province infringed on his freedom of expression, but the Nova Scotia Supreme Court said that constitutionally protected right does not extend to government-owned plates.

The Nova Scotia plate, which Grabher had for nearly 30 years, was revoked in 2016 by the province's Registrar of Motor Vehicles after the agency received a complaint accusing the sign of promoting hatred toward women.

In a news release, Grabher's lawyer Jay Cameron said the province's decision to revoke the plate is an example of arbitrary and capricious censorship and a threat to freedom of expression.

Cameron says his client looks forward to the next stage of court proceedings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2020.