Just to set the record straight, from my point of view, I would add that as far as "rights" go, there is a right that is seldom, if ever, referred to -- at least not in my reading/listening over many years --and that is the right to be respected by anyone holding a public office. You are their source of income, their pay, pensions, perks, privileges and even their power. They owe you respect!! As my granddaddy used to say to me years ago, "Respect is like water, it always seeks its own level." And he would add, "If you do not give respect, you do not deserve respect." That is something that public office holders should be reminded of daily. Apparently (at least from my observations over the years) that is something no one has bothered to tell them -- and that includes every public office holder from the top down. Obviously, if the situation exists wherein someone has demonstrated they are not worthy of that respect, that would alter the above -- but under normal circumstances, that saying still holds true.

Whether or not the above comments were necessary or not, I thought it best to add them to my ramblings so as not to be misunderstood.

As for the individual Canadian in this (or any other matter of national importance) you are important and you have a duty to yourself and your family to become knowledgeable of what is happening when "laws to protect society" are bandied about from those holding public office. To ignore those warnings and to not closely examine the "widely supported and 'necessary'" amendments to various laws being contemplated by those in a position to bring about such changes is leave yourself and your family vulnerable to some very dangerous laws.

Not to suggest that all such proposals are dangerous, but if enough people ignore enough "new laws" being proposed, logic dictates that there will be dangerous laws on the books -- and that is not only dangerous but, in my view, unacceptable.

Some examples (and by no means a complete list) of some of the laws that have been proposed and/or passed in various communities because no one was paying attention follow:

One of the southern states recently proposed a law to charge restaurant operators if they served "obese" customers.
One Texas legislator proposed a law that would make it a crime to commit a criminal offence against someone unless the victim was advised 24 hours in advance of the date, time and location and the nature of the offence to be committed.
In Canada there was a proposal by a Minister of Justice to put into law a section with regard to ammunition that would indicate that a person could have in their possession "a reasonable amount of ammunition."
Also in Canada it was stated by a former Solicitor General that "a criminal would sooner use an M1 (Carbine) than a 'gun'" to commit an offence.
And again, in Canada, in the Senate, one astute Senator, waving a copy of Guns & Ammo stated emotionally that: "This magazine even has coloured centerfolds of guns."
And, again, in Canada, a popular radio talk show host pontificated about the fact that: "Anyone can walk in off the street in this country and by a machine gun."

That one was interesting and as I had taped the show and then, without using capital letters or punctuation (so as to avoid being accused of changing the meaning) I typed the complete tirade and when the opportunity arose, I confronted the individual. And his response was: "I never said that." End of conversation.

And one situation which has always been one of my favourites took place back when the "drive-by shootings" in the U.S. was common and told and retold on every newscast. I guess that Ottawa was not to be outdone by anyone and one evening there was a report of the first "drive-by" shooting in the city. So, if you had been driving through the city during those particular newscasts you would have heard the alarming news and, no doubt, repeated that to others at the end of your trip. However, as time passed, it went from "drive-by shooting" to a shooting in the foyer of a high rise apartment. Then, as time passed, it was determined that that was not quite correct and it really was a shooting, but in a 9th-floor apartment. Oh, well, accuracy by the media is not a fundamental requirement. But "news" is, no matter how accurate.

Enough for now. More will come to mind and I shall endeavour to put my thoughts down so one can read them.

Nothing will change the above, but I put them in to demonstrate that there are a considerable number of individuals with a considerable amount of power who think nothing of an emotional tirade to make their point, even if they are wrong.