A few months ago, back in warm, sunny June we wrote about a very disturbing change in the law in Ontario during the G20 wank-fest in Toronto. You can read it here. Short form, for a week the cops could demand ID and/or bust your ass if you were within 5 meters of the G20 security cordon. The ‘probable cause’ was that you were within 5 meters of the G20 security cordon, nothing more.
Today our Premiere, Dalton “Sorry About That” McGuinty, came out and said that the Ontario government acted with good intentions when it cranked up an old WWII law used to protect courthouses and other public buildings from Nazi saboteurs in 1939.
To quote the provincial ombudsman, Andre Marin. the government made a ‘premeditated, conscious decision” to give the police wartime powers and to keep the extra powers secret from the public. We’re fairly certain that Doltboy McGuinty isn’t bright enough to come up with that kind of scam on his own.
Now, yes, the Premiere did overreact, but we’re reasonably certain he ran a two-hour Star Chamber to s-can our rights at the behest of, wait for it, the Federal Government, notably one Stephen, “Call me Stephen” Harper.
Even the Federal Minister of Public Safety, Vic Toews has said “Fooked if we did, check with boss at 2-4 Sussex. I just keep the lights on and the pencils sharp around here. G20 was a province thingy. I’ll have to check with the PCO to make sure, but I’m pretty sure it’s a province deal. Oooh can I have that shiny thing, mister?”
Will anyone resign over this? Please don’t make me laugh, my lips are chapped.
RoadDave 
On behalf of the few Americans still generating a positive IQ, I apologise for allowing the insanity that is US government to cross our common border. I’ve always envied Canadians for having a far more low key, far less hyper government. It appears we have failed to keep our American lunacy south of the border. Looks like I have to go back to reading the CBC and the Hamilton Spectator every day – I’d been ignoring those sources, because it seemed like “the same old same old” was the Canadian course. Good luck in getting common sense back in your government – I’m almost 50, and hold no hope of ever seeing common sense in American again (except in a few, all too few, isolated examples).
Love your site. Been trying to read through some things ever since a buddy of mine sent me a link to a post you did way back in Dec 2007 – Bars in Ottawa Pt I.
Dalton Mcweenie has been nothing short of a disaster for this province, even more so than Bob Rae’s terrifying tenure as Premier. I don’t like politicians of any stripe – I think the federal government should be made up like jury duty – everyone has to do it and they get randomly selected 🙂
Hmm. I posted a comment and it seems to have disappeared. Issues with wordpress?
Don’t worry, Steve, sometimes WordPress sends a post into limbo for several seconds, then suddenly pops it up (right about the time you think it disappeared for good).
And I like your idea of truly representative government! Do away with the hugely expensive farce of campaigns and elections – that should help re-balance the budget. Not to mention taking away the pundits’ right to gripe about out-of-touch politicians.
@ Steve. Thanks for the kind words. WordPress occasionally tosses an approve comment email into the chronosynclastic infindibulum. Also, I don’t hover over the keyboard 24/7. It doesn’t mean I won’t approve your comment, it just means I haven’t seen it yet.
@ John: I have a high concept for currency that I will post later today.
Ooo, you mean like money made of Marijuana? Well, you did say a “high” concept. After all, we’re in unstable economic times, and the experts say you should invest in gold. Mine comes from Acapulco…… :p
Yes, puns are the lowest form of humour. And I am the lowest form of punsters. (Punners? Pundits? Wait, that puts me in the same company as Rush Limbaugh! Eek! Then again, it also puts me in company of Stephen Colbert. Maybe that isn’t so bad after all……) 😉
Looking forward to your thoughts! 🙂