I was disturb today to read about an amendment to the Ontario Public Works Protection Act, that grants the police to arrest people that are within 5 meters of the G20 security barrier, who refuse to present ID and allowed to be searched. The law is only valid until Monday, June 28. However, it was in-acted on June 2nd by an order in council by the Ontario Liberal Cabinet. This was done without any consultation of the Provincial parliament and was never debated with in the house or press releases sent out to inform people that the Government of Ontario has suspended their Charter of Rights and Freedoms for a few days. It's a slippery slope, if the government can get away with it this time, what's to stop them next time. Be sure to send an email to your MPP and let them know this wrong and should never have been enacted in the first place. I sent the following email to my MPP, Charles Sousa, Mississauga - South. I will post the reply if / when I receive one.

 

Good day, I writing this letter to inform you that as a resident of Mississauga South and as a citizen of Canada, I am outraged at the recent move of the Dalton McGuinty Government and the passing of a law that can have you arrested for refusing to produce identification and being searched during the G20 summit if you're within 5 meters of the security zone.

The idea that a government can pass a law that strips people of their Charter of Rights and Freedom, is deplorable at best, tin-pot dictatorship at worse.

I refer you to the specific sections of the Charter: Fundamental Freedoms

2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and (d) freedom of association. Legal Rights Life, liberty and security of person

7. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Search or seizure

8. Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure. Detention or imprisonment

9. Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned.

If the McGuinty government felt so strongly about this amendment the the Public Works Protection Act, why not debate it in the House, or make the announcement that a new draconian change occurred on June 2nd?

For those individuals that say Security needs to triumph safety, I find that ridiculous! No persons freedom should ever be stripped for the advancement of security. It is a slippery slope and once down that path, there is no turning back.

I work in a building at the corner of York and Wellington, on nice days, I would routinely sit outside, soak up some sun and enjoy my lunch, I normally sit in area that would put me within the 5 meter range of the security barrier. Should I be arrested because I choose to eat my lunch outside, with a sandwich in hand and politely refuse to produce identification to the Police, because no where in the criminal code of Canada or in the Charter of Rights and Freedom does it state, that an individual requires a license to hold a sandwich, or to be sitting / standing on the Street in a public area. If asked for my name and purpose of being where I am by the police, as required by law, I would answer truthfully, I would give my full name, and mention the fact that I work at this location.

I am not and should not be required to produce any identification, or be searched by Police Offers to confirm who I am and my business in the area. I would hope that you and other members of the Ontario Liberal Party would hold Dalton McGuinty and his Cabinet to task on this issue and, to ensure that this affront to Liberty never occurs again in Canada.

Thank you, Matthew R. Capranos Mississauga-South