BCLU’s Bust Card 2009 version (.pdf) should be in everyone’s wallet – memorize: Silence is a right, Searching is not.
Katrina Pacey hands out legal rights cards at Hastings and Main in July 2002. Photo: Randall Cisco, The Vancouver Courier.
Pivot has printed more than 60,000 Statement For Police rights cards which have been distributed throughout Canada since early 2002.
The cards, which are purchased in bulk by many organizations across Canada, advise citizens of their legal rights upon arrest, in plain English or French. Telephone numbers for information lines for your province can be put on the back of personalized cards.
The cards fold in two. One half, with the statement for police, can be detached and given to the police upon arrest.
The other half of the card, giving the rights, can be kept. It also lists a 1-888 phone number for legal aid lawyer, and lists the number to reprot a police officer to the Police Complaint Commission.
Direct .pdf link to the BCLU Bust/RightsCards – in brief say to Police “if I am under arrest or being detained, please tell me” – then say nothing without a lawyer (who can be provided for you, just say “i want a lawyer”