Live data from Hacker News

Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

citoyens.soquij.qc.ca

131–140 of 318 posts

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh well then throw it all out. Completely useless.

I'm just saying, you don't really have freedom of speech if the government can decide to violate it if they feel like it. Edit: I'm apparently rate-limited. Anyway, if words on paper don't mean anything, then bringing up the Charter as evidence that Canadians have free speech is completely irrelevant. Second, the notwithstanding clause isn't a theoretical possibility. > I find my American friends sometimes freak out…

The government can decide to violate any freedom you think you have at any time for any reason regardless of what any law may or may not say. Freedoms are social constructs, nothing more. They exist to the degree that people believe in them.

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh well then throw it all out. Completely useless.

I'm just saying, you don't really have freedom of speech if the government can decide to violate it if they feel like it. Edit: I'm apparently rate-limited. Anyway, if words on paper don't mean anything, then bringing up the Charter as evidence that Canadians have free speech is completely irrelevant. Second, the notwithstanding clause isn't a theoretical possibility. > I find my American friends sometimes freak out…

It’s also written somewhere that I’m subject to a king, so I’m not really free anyways.

Also I don’t actually own any land. It all belongs to my king. That’s written down too.

This is actually a really fascinating subject but not for a Friday night. Long story short: what’s written, and what actually is, are often quite different. I find my American friends sometimes freak out over the “but they could take your freedoms away!” when they read about stuff like that. Well, yeah they could do anything. Like make secret courts that ignore constitutional freedoms.

I think it’s healthier to be aware that it’s all a social construct that demands political activism.

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#133
post #115

It is indeed shocking that this poor man was arrested, charged, and taken through a full prosecution despite the obviously flawed evidence. The crown prosecutor erred so greatly in taking this case on that it strains belief. In Canada, the crown turns down all sorts of cases if they aren’t highly confident they can win. This one? Prosecutors are appointed, not elected. They have nothing to gain from such legal touris…

leaving aside the show of incompetence of that specific "crown prosecutor", what I find even far more shocking is that in 2023 there still is such a thing as a "crown prosecutor". I'd say it's high time to gain full independence and throw the English "crown" out of Canada.

[dead]

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not like when I was a kid where we would get ball games going and pause to let the cars pass. People expected kids to be playing in the street so didn’t drive like complete lunatics. In my neighborhood kids play in the street all the time. There are basketball goals up and down my street and the kids pause the ball games to let the cars pass. Are you sure that you don't just live in a different place now?

doesn't the noise from basketballs hitting concrete/asphalt drive you guys nuts?

Turn up your music so you can't hear it? :)

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol (Just to be clear, is case anyone doesn't know about this, the above is either an absolutely insane or absurdly dishonest characterization, it's easy to do your own research)

I wonder how a civil war refugee would react seeing this [0] [1] labelled as an attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P74pbbhCZng [1] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hzfwaSVIvoA

People in Ottawa used to get about as upset about Bluesfest when it was held downtown, because there was some music from a summer festival for a few nights. They're not really a good measuring stick for how disruptive something is, more like a bunch of entitled civil servants that don't want to be disturbed while they cross off the days until their pensions arrive.

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#136
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The behaviour in a vacuum might not be so bad but she was consciously trying to test how far she could go before they broke a law made specifically due to anti-abortion protesters like her intimidating woman to the point they wouldn't use the services.

Still shows what a police state the UK is, this lady is arrested and she was not causing any disturbance. Do we really want to live in a society where people who did not commit a crime are locked up?

> ... she was not causing any disturbance.

Sounds like she was definitely disturbing the clients of the abortion clinic.

Intimidation is a thing after all, thus the protection order, which she knowingly violated.

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#137
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first amendment to the US constitution does not apply to Canada. Unless you believe US law is globally binding. (That said, Canada does have their own freedom of speech, under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.)

Canada's charter of rights and freedoms isn't worth the paper it's printed on, especially in Quebec where the government actively pre-empts it (it has a clause that allows this, explaining why it's worthless) when it doesn't line up with their ideology.

Outside the specifically legislated scopes where those overrides are in use, or for the parts of the Charter that aren’t subject to the override, courts can and routinely do enforce the charter by invalidating actions or laws. It’s very far from worthless, even if you and I both would rather the override clause didn’t exist.

At least, the overrides expire after 5 years if not re-legislated for a new 5 years, so politicians can’t enact them once and then permanently flee accountability.

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm just saying, you don't really have freedom of speech if the government can decide to violate it if they feel like it. Edit: I'm apparently rate-limited. Anyway, if words on paper don't mean anything, then bringing up the Charter as evidence that Canadians have free speech is completely irrelevant. Second, the notwithstanding clause isn't a theoretical possibility. > I find my American friends sometimes freak out…

It’s also written somewhere that I’m subject to a king, so I’m not really free anyways. Also I don’t actually own any land. It all belongs to my king. That’s written down too. This is actually a really fascinating subject but not for a Friday night. Long story short: what’s written, and what actually is, are often quite different. I find my American friends sometimes freak out over the “but they could take your freed…

> I find my American friends sometimes freak out over the “but they could take your freedoms away!” when they read about stuff like that

But did they?

> It’s also written somewhere that I’m subject to a king, so I’m not really free anyways. Also I don’t actually own any land. It all belongs to my king. That’s written down too.

Is it something that people are proud of? A big part of the culture?

Re: Giving the finger is a ‘God-given right’, Canadian judge rules

#140
post #114

Another great nugget: >> This deplorable Laval reference is worthy of an eye roll that could sever both optical nerves. When a Karen presses charges...

For those who don’t know Montreal, Laval is a suburb of the city. It’s mostly white, French-speaking majority has been in decline for years relative to newcomers who speak other languages - including anglophone Canadian. The complainants in the case are definitely Québecois and emblematic of the resentment toward newcomers expressed by many.

Laval is its own city.
Post reply on HN