Snow Snow Snow

I got to Montreal in snow although it had pretty much quit by the time we went to bed.

We woke up to a full blown storm.

We slogged off into the snow to a small cafe for their $5.09 breakfast special. Two eggs, baked beans, bacon, toast and coffee. A good deal in anyone's books.

Our entertainment during breakfast was across the street. An immigrant driver - only someone from "away" would wear a hat like that - got stuck in the snow. He was a little panicked. We figure his pregnant wife was in labour.

A police car, then another turned up and one cop got behind the wheel of the stuck van while the others pushed the van out of the snow bank. Then a fire truck  arrived on the scene. Everyone helped the very pregnant woman into a police car and away they went to the hospital, lights flashing and it was back to breakfast for us.

Montreal got 15 cm of snow but Sherbrooke, where I am heading today got 70 cm. Now that is a snow fall.

They saw it will take ages to get things cleared up.

G20 Ombudsman Report Ignored in Globe & Mail

I am sorry Madam, you have to show us some ID

I was reading my favorite television commentator John Doyle in the Globe & Mail this morning. Even if I seldom watch the tube I like his writing style and sense of humor.  Commenting on how badly the television industry deals with the Wikileaks stories Doyle said "A reason that TV news mishandles it is that the documents unleashed by Wikileaks undermines the blithe acceptance of official spin that emanates from governments which TV news specializes in regurgitating."


I thought, "Well said John" then moved on to sift the rest of the mornings offering. I was looking for the G&M's take on the Ontario ombudsman, Andre Marin's report on the conduct of the police during the G20. The story had been covered fairly widely and I wanted to read the Globe's take on it.


Some distance from keeping the peace  Marin said the Public Works Act “wound up contributing to massive violations of civil rights.”  

He came to the conclusion that the law  used to expand police powers to detain and search demonstrators was “unnecessary and probably illegal,” and “likely unconstitutional”.  It found it was  misused “to intimidate and arrest people who had done no harm” and resulted in a “mass violation of civil rights.” The political and security measures turned Toronto into an armed camp where excessive force was used to disperse peaceful protesters and wrongly arrest more than 900 people.

In my view any Canadian who watched the coverage of last summer's event should have been disturbed by the actions of police. What it showed us all is what a fragile hold we all have on the civil liberties we take for granted.

The mainstream media didn't take too long to fall into line in buying into the official line about keeping order and about the mobs of armed black block protesters. What disturbed me however was the high school kids, parents with kids and grandmothers out walking their dog who were chased by, out of control,  baton wielding thugs in uniform.

Even the Times of India picked the story up. They reported that “Canadian authorities have been slammed for using a secret regulation that "amounted to martial law" to detain protesters at the June G20 meeting. “ and that “The secret regulation to detain protesters at the June G20 meeting in Toronto had "dubious legality" and probably violated the Canadian Constitution by creating "extravagant police authority,"   

The Globe & Mail, I am disappointed to say, didn't carry the ombudsman's story at all, at least not in the edition I get delivered to my home each morning. So John, I am afraid it isn't only TV news that falls short. Have a chat with your buddies down the hall, will you John.

We'll See How Lucky the Moose Really is

The Lucky Moose Food Mart

I have been intrigued by the court room drama being playing out this week in Toronto.  I have been baffled by the whole thing since the incidents which started all this in motion took place, several months ago.   

It is somewhat ironic that this all transpiring during the week that the “new” Globe & Mail is focusing on immigration and how Canada should be doing a better job helping immigrants to integrate into Canadian society.

OK, for those of you who live under a rock and missed this story, this is what happened.

David Chen, a Chinese immigrant, owns the Lucky Moose Food Mart on Dundas Street in Toronto. He has been plagued by shoplifters to such a degree that he installed a $30.000 video security system in the place. The police – just in case you forgot are the people who are supposed to capture bad guys - it seems have been very little help to him. In the past when he has called than have taken up to five hours to respond and when they do actually get there on time, have encouraged him not to press charges and have let the culprits go.

In May, Anthony Bennett, a petty thief and drug addict, skulked in and stole a bunch of flowers worth about $60.00. Flowers are easy to sell on the street for quick cash you see. Chen saw him do it but was unable to intervene and Bennett got away. Chen checked the security video and it was clear to him who did the dirty deed.

A few hours later, one assumes after successfully selling the flowers on the street, Bennett, a creature of habit returned to the Lucky Moose and from what I saw on the video tape was reaching over to steal more flowers. Chen confronted him. Bennett challenged Chen saying, “I have never been here before. You fuck off you Chinese. Stop bullshitting me.” Then he ran. Chen and another employee gave chase and eventually they were seen by another employee of Chen who was driving a delivery van. Together they captured Bennett and after a fight secured him, threw him in the van and hailed passing police to have him arrested.

Much to their surprise, they were hand cuffed, arrested, brought to the station and strip searched. And, charged with forcible confinement.

Now to be fair to the cops they did also charge Bennett the thief who has a rap sheet going back 30 years and who admitted that he had stolen the original flowers and recognizing a good thing, had returned to steal more flowers. Bennett was convicted but was offered a reduced sentence in exchange for a deal that he would agree to testify against Chen and his employees.

To be honest my only complaint against Chen is that the “moose” on his store sign looks more like a cow. But, I suppose most downtown Toronto people wouldn’t know the difference anyway.

Is this what Stephen Harper and Injustice Minister Vic Toews mean when the talk about their “Law and order agenda?”  I figure I must be one of their old “soft on crime” guys but to be honest, it all just pisses me off. 

If there is any justice in the system - which is debatable – the judge will through this charade whole thing out of court.