Canadian no-fly list? Ye gads...
OK so I need to rant. I mean, how wrong is this? If the no-fly list in the States at least held up the appearance of doing something useful then I'd see the logic behind wanting to introduce a Canadian version. But c'mon people, poor Senator Kennedy had to cut through 3 weeks worth of bureaucratic bullshit to get his name off of the American list. It's bloody stupid. Not to mention that the way in which the Cabinet went about introducing the Canadian list was down-right criminal. They didn't do it by passing a legislation (which would have to be debated and voted on by Parliament), oh no, instead they passed 'Regulations,' which bypass all that pesky democratic process. Regulations are intended to work out details of a current legislation (ones that have already been passed). But the piece of legislation that the federal cabinet attached these regulations to contains nothing that even hints that it could be used to institute a no-fly list. Anyone that voted on the legislation would have had no reason to suspect that they might be taking part in the authorization of such a list.
I remember, back when Stephen Harper won his minority I was appalled, and even scared. Never have I been less impressed with the Canadian Conservatives than since he took over (and I was never a fan). But a few days later I kind of shrugged my shoulders and said "Meh, what damage could his government really do, with such a weak minority?" It looks like my initial reaction was the correct one. What damage indeed.
And this is why, if I ever decided to study law, it would have to be constitutional law. I will not stand for such a blatant abuse of the system, of our civil rights and freedoms, by our own government. As someone smart once said "The public should not fear its government; the government should fear its people." Somehow, we have to find a way to get the public educated enough so that we can all tell when injustices such as this one happen. Only then will the government be truly accountable for its actions.
I remember, back when Stephen Harper won his minority I was appalled, and even scared. Never have I been less impressed with the Canadian Conservatives than since he took over (and I was never a fan). But a few days later I kind of shrugged my shoulders and said "Meh, what damage could his government really do, with such a weak minority?" It looks like my initial reaction was the correct one. What damage indeed.
And this is why, if I ever decided to study law, it would have to be constitutional law. I will not stand for such a blatant abuse of the system, of our civil rights and freedoms, by our own government. As someone smart once said "The public should not fear its government; the government should fear its people." Somehow, we have to find a way to get the public educated enough so that we can all tell when injustices such as this one happen. Only then will the government be truly accountable for its actions.