WARNING: This story contains profanity. Discretion is advised.
EDMONTON — “Next elections: Ditch the b****! Punt the c***!”
So says a provocative decal featuring photos of Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the back window of a Strathcona County driver’s truck.
Andy Styles says he was going for “the shock and awe factor” when he put the decal on his truck about six weeks ago, and gets a lot of comments about it, both positive and negative.
About 20 people a day take pictures of it, he added, but he didn’t expect the attention it would draw online, where one Facebook post has been shared more than 2,000 times.
Last August, an Edmonton-area man received a $535-dollar stunting fine for a profane sign on the back of his vehicle. Rob Wells posted the handmade, pink “F–k Harper” sign to voice his contempt for Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, before the last federal election.
READ MORE: Alberta man gets $543 ticket for ‘F-k Harper’ sign
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“People are allowed a form of expression,” said Strathcona County RCMP Cpl. Chris Little. “A vehicle that’s plastered with a bunch of decals, it can be distracting and it certainly can be hazardous to other vehicles on the road.”
Little said an officer would use his or her discretion whether to issue a ticket in a case like this.
Styles said he has been pulled over by RCMP, but has not received a ticket. The RCMP said it has not received any complaints about his decal.
“Everyone has a voice, we all have to choose how we use it,” said Styles. “For the people that say it’s too far, I will listen to your point of view. ”
“I chose a message that I felt in no uncertain terms would show my absolute disgust for both the provincial and federal governments,” Styles wrote, citing the federal government’s exclusion of Edmonton from extended employment insurance benefits, its handling of the refugee crisis and its plan to legalize marijuana.
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Styles also takes issue with the provincial government’s policies on the energy sector and the state of the Alberta economy.
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