Conservatives Don't Understand Freedom

[mbarrick]

When you pick up a gun and commit a crime you lose your right to be free.

From now on the justice system will stop giving you the benefit of the doubt and send you to jail for a long time.

— Stephen Harper

Nice sentiment, sure to get support from the backwater rednecks and easily the panicked sorts that elect these fascists.

What they are talking about here, hiding it behind the newspeak "reverse onus", is eliminating the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" and replacing it with a presumption of guilt. Much like the Americans doing away with habeas corpus, this flies in the face of the fundamental qualities that differentiate free countries from authoritarian tyrannies.

Section 11(d) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states states pretty damn clearly: "Any person charged with an offence has the right ... to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal".

Comments

Re: "It's starting to look like apartheid!"

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

it was just blind sarcasm...i haven't an opinion on the quebec matter yet...i'm still gathering information before making my decision...on the face i'm not sure i agree, but there are good arguments for and against...that said i am surprised harper was the one who did it...and to be honest the first nations have a more legitimate claim to nation status than does quebec...

Re: "It's starting to look like apartheid!"

[sovietnimrod.livejournal.com]

that said i am surprised harper was the one who did it

Yes - my thoughts exactly. It comes across as being nothing more than an attempt to win votes in that province.

and to be honest the first nations have a more legitimate claim to nation status than does quebec

Between Quebec and the Native Indians, yes I would also say the Indians have a much stronger claim. But then again, I look at both groups as being conquered peoples. If we start giving Quebec and Native Indians special recognition, then we have to do the same with Anglo-Canadians (because they/we are also a key component in the formation and heritage of Canada) but I really don't see that happening. There'd be such a huge public outcry - so granted, if so... then why not the same outcry for Quebec and Indians as well? After all, we're all suppose to be equal, aren't we?

Re: "It's starting to look like apartheid!"

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

it's a blatant attempt to curry favour and win votes in quebec...but i can't see it working too well...and it will certainly cost him some support in ontario and maybe even the atlantic provinces which he needs...i'd say it would cost him support out west, but the prairies and alberta are too stubborn and stupid to vote otherwise even if this rankles them...it may do a little damage in b.c., but for the most part the rednecks will stand by their man...

Re: "It's starting to look like apartheid!"

[sovietnimrod.livejournal.com]

the prairies and alberta are too stubborn [snip] to vote otherwise even if this rankles them

Agreed, my observation as well. It'll have much more effect in the East but practically none here in the West. Quebec by an large is a non-issue in BC.