Montreal taxi driver Arieh Perecowicz will head to municipal court next week to fight for his freedom of expression after being instructed to remove several small personal artifacts from his taxicab, the Globe and Mail reported Sept. 22. The artifacts included photos of Perecowicz’s family, a Remembrance Day poppy and two small Jewish prayer scrolls.
Perecowicz was charged for violating a section of the city’s taxi bylaw stating drivers can’t keep objects in their cars that are “not required for the taxi to be in service.” He received six tickets from the Bureau du Taxi with a total sum of $1,400, though he said he’s never received a complaint about the objects from customers in his 43 years on the job.
The bylaw banning any object unnecessary for a taxi’s operation focuses on a strange distinction when there are more important concerns facing drivers and their customers.
It’s unfortunate there’s no way to police client safety and comfort in cabs during the ride, instead. For example, cutting down on drivers’ use of cell phones while on the road is a more relevant area of concern than policing minor decorations.
The debate surrounding freedom of religious expression is an example of the divide between the public and private spheres, and should be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
In this situation, Perecowicz’s decorations were subtle and posed no safety concerns. None of the artifacts extended to the backseat or affected the driver’s visibility. And a lack of any complaint from engers suggests the objects weren’t offensive.
Keeping in touch with personal faith is a fundamental right in Canada and, within reason, holds more value as a freedom than enforcing blanket policies to keep cabs completely clutter-free.
While taxis provide a public service and customers should enjoy a professional ride, drivers like Perecowicz who spend close to 15 hours per day in their cars should be permitted to display subtle personal artifacts just as any other worker would in his or her office.
To express his spiritual convictions, Perecowicz isn’t breaching issues of security or requesting special privileges that would be costly or difficult to accommodate. The Bureau du Taxi shouldn’t be heartlessly asking this driver to remove or conceal what’s close to his heart.
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