From the CITY (Section F) of The Ottawa Citizen on Wednesday, November 8th, 2000
By Dave Brown (Brown's Beat)
dbrown@thecitizen.southam.ca

"Windmilling"

One of the capital area's most quixotic characters has been unhorsed again, after taking a run at a windmill in L'Orignal. Jean-Serge: Brisson, Embrun radiator shop operator, tax protestor, and leader of the Libertarian Party of Canada, went to court Friday prepared to argue a violation of his Charter rights.

The charge was driving without a permit, stemming from his refusal to pay a fine for failure to wear a seatbelt. Before he headed off to court last week, he ran a brief outline of his arguments past me. He intended to show he had a right to make decisions concerning his own safety, and nobody had a right to suspend his driving permit for an unpaid fine.

Justice of the peace, Michel Jolicoeur was running the windmill (courtroom) that day and apparently wasn't hearing Charter challenges to traffic tickets.

The gavel came down and officers led Mr. Brisson away, sentenced to 105 days. through friends, he got word to this desk that he has now begun a hunger strike.

In the last round of civic elections, he was within 200 votes of winning a seat on Embrun council. He's running again, and could become one of those rare birds elected to office despite being in jail.