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The Independent Contractors, a lobby group representing about 2,300 companies across B.C., said it launched the lawsuit because it believes its right to free expression was being curtailed.

Baerg said he and his union, which represents hundreds of workers primarily in Alberta and B.C., joined in because they have a direct interest in the result of the referendum and their rights to participate fully in the debate are being limited by the cabinet regulation.

For instance, the restrictions on third-party expression are imposed for a period five times the length of the spending restrictions period outlined for general elections by the Election Act, without any period of unrestricted expression leading up that period.

“Nor will individuals or groups have much time to obtain legal counsel, additional staffing or accounting assistance in order to help them navigate the complex restrictions on political expression set out in the regulation, and to obtain legal advice on which types of political expression are prohibited and what forms of liability they face for non-compliance, prior to engaging in any captured political expression with respect to the referendum,” the submission said.

All of the limits significantly limit the ability of individuals and groups to meaningfully express their views and debate the future shape of the democratic system in B.C., it added.

With the referendum set to be conducted by mail this fall, Gall said his immediate concern is that the court may be unable to find four days on its clogged schedule to hear the full case in time.

“We need to have this heard quickly.”

imulgrew@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/ianmulgrew

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