Rebel News recently paid a visit to Rick Johnson Memorial Park in Pickering, Ont. This was the venue for Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe’s corn roast event, but we weren't there for the grub.

We sought to interview Mayor Ashe but were forced to a public park instead of City Hall due to Rebel News being "unapproved" media in Pickering.

This city takes frequent jabs at free speech and press. Journalists need two-thirds council approval to cover meetings; otherwise, Durham Regional Police remove them. We know this from experience.

Constituents also face censorship and police action. For example, criticizing a city councilor on social media can lead to a bylaw enforcement officer visit and a trespass notice, banning them from city properties for "wrong thought."

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Delegation times have been cut in half, recording meetings is forbidden, and live feeds of council meetings are allegedly being manipulated and censored.

Our Jumbotron-equipped truck advocated for free speech, countering censorship. We anticipate such vehicles may face future bans in Pickering.

It makes one wonder if Pickering is in Canada or North Korea.

Surprisingly, Mayor Ashe, whom we expected to avoid us or call the police given past council meetings, was civil and answered our questions.

At the corn roast, we met Lisa Robinson, who spoke about freedom in her city and hinted at a mayoral run next year. The contrarian councilor’s salary was docked for 15 months due to her "impolite" opinions. 

Judy Griffiths, a grandmother, was violently removed from council by four police officers last year for attempting to deliver a five-minute statement. Deemed "wrong thought," her statement led to trespassing charges, handcuffing, and arrest. 

Though all charges were recently dropped, the process itself served as the penalty.

While Mayor Ashe showed civility, we hope it extends to City Hall. Public officials need thick skin for freedom of speech. Silencing opposing views in a democracy is wrong and possibly illegal.