In 1970, when prime minister Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, I disagreed. It was an over-reaction to some clumsy lawbreakers. When his son invoked the 1988 version of the act the other day, my reaction was relief.
In 1970, the police forces were trying to do their job. The army could not do much to help. Today’s policing in Ottawa and Alberta have failed to do the job. The premier of Ontario is back from skidooing up at his cottage. The mayor of Ottawa is a fool. The police chief in Ottawa has proved inadequate to his task. Emergency measures are necessary.
It will always be necessary when there are people in our country who stand in the way of law and order.
And it is necessary because Canadians are angry. They are weary from the pandemic. They are tired of being the brunt of repetitive rules that do not seem to work. They are especially angry about people flaunting the law, with no consequences.
We elect our politicians in trust that they will give us a country where law and order exist. We elect them in our cities and towns and other municipalities where they will maintain the safety and access to our streets, to build schools and hospitals, and to ensure that we have the policing services needed to keep our communities safe.
We elect provincial politicians to make our highways safe and passable, that we have functioning hospitals, an education system for our children to learn and be good citizens.
And we elect our federal politicians to ensure peace, order and good government across this nation.
That is why we cannot allow inadequate policing in our national capital. If the police there cannot do their job, replace them with police who will do the job. Nobody has the right to piss on our national memorial to those who have died in foreign wars. Nobody has the right to camp on the streets of our capital.
There are no deals to be made with these people. They get out of town or their next look at the world is through bars. If they won’t move their vehicles, you take those vehicles apart piece by piece and send them to a convenient landfill. It is time to put out the garbage.
As my American granny used to say: If you can’t push, pull. And if you can’t pull, best you get out of the way.
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Copyright 2022 © Peter Lowry
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