Man has personalised number plate withdrawn due to 'offensive' surname

A Canadian man has had his personalised number plate withdrawn by authorities in Nova Scotia despite the fact the plate simply bore his surname.

Lorne Grabher received a letter from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles at the end of last year informing him the plate was being cancelled as it could be "misinterpreted as a socially unacceptable slogan".

In a Facebook post earlier this week he wrote: "The name on the plate was my last name 'Grabher' and has been in the family for over 25 years.

"This plate changed hands within the family three times with no issue but because one complaint was lodged Ms. Director of Road Safety used her authority to cancel my plate.

"Where does it state that my last name is considered a 'slogan' in the Motor Vehicle Act?" 

Mr Grabher claims he was told by an employee of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles: "You are in Nova Scotia now, you go by our rules."

CBC News contacted the local Department of Transportation, who said: "A complaint was received outlining how some individuals interpret [the name] as misogynistic and promoting violence against women.

"With no way to denote that it is a family name on the plate, the department determined it was in the public's best interest to remove it from circulation."

Mr Grabher told CBC News: "I've never once had anybody come up to me and say they were offended. They would look at it and say, 'Am I reading this right?' And I would go, 'Yes.'

"And they would go, 'Is this your last name?' And I would go, 'Yes.' And they would always just give a little chuckle."

The  Department of Transportation has offered to reimburse Mr Grabher some of the cost of the licence plate.

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