From: irina ceric [irina@dojo.tao.ca]
Date: 28 Apr 18:13 (EDT)
Subject: Protest by-law not going to City Council!
Here's a report from someone who was the Planning and Transportation Commitee of Toronto City Council today. the Law Union's submissions were before the Committee...
The "Protestor By-Law" is dead! Long live democracy!
Toronto police chief Julian Fantino wanted the federal government to change the Criminal Code to make it an offence to cover one's face while demonstrating and to mandate deterrent sentences against demonstrators who are arrested by the police and convicted of offences.
He also wanted demonstrators be required to get a police permit for all demonstrations and to post a bond for any damage caused during a demonstration.
Federal Justice Minister, Martin Cauchon, turned him down, saying that there is no need to make it a "criminal offence to be anonymous in public. There is no obligation in Canada to identify one's self, to carry identity papers, or refrain from anonymity while in a public place."
Cauchon went on to say "I cannot see how the creation of an additional offence (under the Criminal Code) would address this practical problem."
The remainder of Fantino's "Protestor By-Law" proposal went to a sub-committee of Toronto City Council this morning, April 28, where it was rejected without discussion.
The committee had received 14 written deputations opposing Chief Fantino's proposal and more than 20 deputants were listed to speak in opposition.
The Committee voted to "Receive", in other words, kill, the proposal. So, we did not need to make our deputations.
Long live democracy..........!!!!!!!
Bob Olsen
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Bob Olsen, Toronto, bobolsen@mycybernet.net
The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power. - Daniel Webster (1782-1852)
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Law Union of Ontario
