BILL C-68 -- AN EXAMPLE OF THE POLICE STATE MENTALITY

Bill C-68 authorizes creation of "police officers" who are merely
people "designated by the provincial minister" [Firearms Act
section 98].  For the territories, that Minister is Allan Rock. 

C-68 authorizes entry, search and seizure without warrant where
no crime is known or suspected [FA s. 99]. 

C-68 authorizes warrants to enter private homes to search and
seize where no crime is known or suspected [FA s. 99 and 101].

C-68 authorizes imprisoning anyone who refuses to help ransack
his own home, or refuses to answer, before he has any chance to
seek legal advice, a question put to him [FA s. 100 and 107].

C-68 provides a sentence of up to five years imprisonment for
expressing an opinion, even where the opinion is inadmissible in
a court of law [Criminal Code amendment, s. 107(3) and (1)].

C-68 assumes that the bureaucrat is always right, and the citizen
is always wrong.  It requires the citizen to prove that the
bureaucrat is wrong rather than requiring the bureaucrat to prove
that he is right [FA s. 73(3), CC s. 117.11].  In many areas,
there is no right of appeal against the bureaucrat's decisions.

C-68 takes the actual making of criminal law out of the hands of
Parliament.  The scope of the Order-in-Council power lost to
Parliament by these delegations is staggering [FA s. 110].

C-68 requires all Orders in Council to be subjected to
Parliamentary scrutiny [FA s. 111].  It then provides very broad
exceptions--to ensure scrutiny will not take place [FA s. 112].

C-68 enables the enactment of Orders in Council that change how
the law applies to "any of the aboriginal peoples of Canada" by
detailed groups [FA s. 110(t)].  For disarming reservations?

C-68 establishes that a certificate provided by an undefined
"analyst" with no defined qualifications "is evidence in any
proceedings" regarding firearms matters [FA s. 117.13].

The entire tone and structure of Bill C-68 is based on the
mindset that Canadians are dangerous animals who must be held in
check by strong government.  It enables powerful military and
police forces to be largely exempted from firearms control law. 
At the same time, C-68 regards all bureaucrats as wise and fair
herdmasters, controlling and protected from the animals.

We have seen this type of legislation before--in police states
all over the world.  It does not belong in Canada.  We wonder
why so many of our politicians support such authoritarianism.  We
wonder if politicians who support it can be trusted with power.



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