The only word they know is rights, and these protesters and rioters have forgotten or never learned the rest of the idea. Canada has a Constitution which codifies our system of government and law. WITHIN that Constitution is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is not a stand alone document.
“Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law:
Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms
Rights and freedoms in Canada1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”
This is how the Charter begins. The problem is, the protesters of which I speak are quick to go beyond reasonable limits but use specific pieces of the Charter in the hopes of protecting themselves. They cry "Freedom of Speech”, "Freedom of Expression”, or "Freedom of Peaceful Assembly" without understanding the context of what they're demanding. They don’t seem to care that in an effort to “express” themselves, they are contravening other parts of the Constitution Act at the same time, in other words, breaking the law. They use the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a gun and hope no one notices.
Why do protesters use Charter of Rights and Freedoms to break law? As I said previously, it is only one part of the Constitution Act. Apparently, they only like the “good parts” version and the parts that pertain to what they are doing. The protesters (gone rioters in some cases) ignore the parts that can prove what they’re doing is wrong such as trespassing or disturbing the peace. If these laws are used against them, they say it’s “unconstitutional” simply because it stops how they promote their cause. They’re more than happy to use the Constitution or Charter against those with whom they disagree, whether or not the other side is breaking the law, as long as it works to the protesters’ advantage.
Perhaps these liberal idealistic protesters need to take some real time and figure out what it is they're asking for. They do so much in the name of democracy while trying to avoid it at all costs. Democracy takes time, democracy means the will of all people, democracy means due process. It does not mean the will of a bunch of whiny twenty somethings trying to hold the government hostage and making demands to suit their idea of the perfect country.
Do these entitled people realize that because of the work and sacrifice of others, they have the freedom to protest? They have the freedom to attend post secondary education and to take any course they wish. They have the freedom to move throughout our country, to go to school in any province, in any city they wish, or even apply to schools out of country.
Because of those freedoms, they have rights. These rights and freedoms are intimately intertwined. It appears to me that they feel their rights and freedoms come to them at no cost. What these protesters are not understanding is, they cannot demand rights without doing their duty. Protesting and rioting are not duties. Protesting is okay to a point. Protesting lets the government and the people know there's a larger issue at hand, but once the message is lost, it's time to go home. Protesting should not step on others rights. Extended rioting is anarchy, there's no excuse for it. The Vancouver riots, while inexcusable, is one thing, it had a catalyst. What's happening in Quebec is deliberate and planned, and the planners as well as the rioters should be charged with a crime.
Responsibilities that come with their rights include being a good citizen and to uphold the law, neither of which most protesters do. Another responsibility or duty would be to vote. What right does anyone have to make demands of a government if said person or group didn't even have the time of day to vote in the last elections? If these protesters want to make change in the government, they should talk to their representatives or join a political party, get noticed and get involved.
If the government began bending to the will of these protesters and stopped following due process, said government would be given the power to change law at will. The country would eventually become a tyranny, and why wouldn't it? Once a precedent is set, it would be used time and again. The more power a government is given, the more it will use, and not just on the people the liberal left-wing protesters dislike. It's happened before. A previous Canadian government did it, enacting the Firearms Act in fact. The government in power at the time used "Order in Council" to force the law through instead of due process because it was “for the good of the people.” The problem is, the long gun registry didn't prevent crime, cost 10 times what it was suppose to, didn't work as stipulated and was finally abolished. Alberta just recently used the provincial equivalent called “power of closure” to put through three laws for the good of all Albertans. We were never asked, we were just told any sensible, reasonable Albertan would want these laws. Ask us first, I’ve been told that I live in a democracy.
People who want instant change and make demands of the government forget that when they're trying to persecute people based on class, religion, ethnicity, or whatever new imaginary evil will themselves get persecuted in the future. They don’t think very far into the future though. The liberal types don’t realize there will be no one to defend their rights because they are themselves responsible for having all of our rights and freedoms taken away through their protesting and demanding.
If protesters didn't come across as whiny self important children, I might have more respect for them. Here's the thing though, protesting the world’s inequities has become a fad. There's even a clothing style. They turn 18 or 20, see something they don’t like and join some fanatical group that start the debate at “no”. With all this, I feel they don’t do any more research than reading the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and hope that’ll keep their cause running and them out of jail. Hopefully, one day, the courts will begin to uphold the law. I, as a law abiding citizen, must follow the Firearms Act to the letter or be left with a criminal offense on my record even if I’ve done nothing else wrong in my life. I would like to understand this double standard of the damage they cause to property and people and not be charged with anything, even a misdemeanor? The “good intentions sentiment” shouldn’t be the only thing keeping them from acquiring a criminal record.
Maybe, hopefully, these protesters will grow up and become respectable members of society and contribute something to it. Who knows, it could be wishful thinking, or one of them could become the next conservative Prime Minister!
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