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Is anyone else disgusted by the draconian, unjust deep sixing of the Toronto BBQ owner who defied the lockdown order to open indoor dining for three days? This story illustrates exactly why people have become distrustful of the police and government. The $187,000 fine imposed on this business owner is vindictive and doesn't fit the crime. It does explain why small business owners and people in general are suspicious of restrictions that prevent someone from operating a business and earning a livelihood. I just don't think government should have the right to impose such restrictions. The right to earn a living is a basic human right. If you don't want to eat out, then don't. Ensuring social distancing and reduced capacity is one thing, destroying someone's business to make a point that police and government hold all the cards, right or wrong, isn't okay. What recourse does this guy have without taking expensive legal action that he probably can't afford? https://apple.news/A7SiAcw1sRxCR3d6CmZlinA

International and interprovincial travel has been legal in Canada outside the Maritime bubble, yet people who travel are being publicly shamed and losing their jobs. I realize there's the idea that political leaders should be held to a higher standard and that they are seen as hypocritical for asking Canadians to make sacrifices if they won't make the same efforts. I suppose, but people make choices based on all sorts of varying criteria. I'm going against the witch-hunters and saying that as long as flights are allowed, people should be able to fly without having to defend it, if they can do the necessary quarantining. It's nobody's damn business. If people have cottages or other properties, they should have the right to visit them within their own country, no questions asked. Allowing governments to restrict movement is an issue. What if we had extreme violence or food shortages and the state prevented people from being able to flee dangerous areas or hunt for survival? I don't think government should be allowed that kind of control. Thankfully such restrictions aren't yet in place, and I don't think it's right to shame people for traveling. Essential means different things to different people. Be careful what freedoms you give up because precedents are being set. Right now some provinces are considering curfews among many other tight restrictions on movement. I understand that much of this may be necessary, but it must be targeted and temporary. I certainly don't think it's fair to shame people for not following a restriction that hasn't become policy. https://apple.news/ARymylQ4qTqisTCMFCzBYVw

It's estimated that 20 percent of retailers will go out of business in Canada due to public health restrictions. Workers and business owners are being forced onto government subsistence handouts for the sake of preventing viral spread. Rather than letting people decide whether they want to risk shopping or patronizing businesses, government is deciding for them and destroying some livelihoods. Is it fair?

We have seen excesses at play from members and factions within the police authorities, kneeling on the neck of a subdued black man, hitting a 70 year-old white man in the face with a baton, shooting a twenty-something indigenous woman based on the police claim that she became aggressive with a knife. These stories of police brutality arrive in the context of a pandemic that has hit poor, crowded communities hardest, many with large racialized populations. In communities that struggled to begin with, hit hard recently by Covid-19, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that police brutality against such peoples can only ignite a powder keg of pent-up anger and frustration. Obviously no one in a protest should destroy private property or hurt innocent people. Meeting a misuse of power with a misuse of protest is an unreasonable solution to oppression. The questions must now be asked. What systemic policies continue to exist that enable oppression? What must change in policing and public policy to prevent the misuse of power? I’ll put forward a few policies that I think should immediately change: -end all use of force against peaceful protesters -end the criminalization and use of law enforcement against drug use (not including large scale drug dealing), prostitution (both in the provision and use of such services), drinking in public, and assembling in any sized group (including groups not practicing social distancing) -end the harassment of people suffering from mental health problems or who are inebriated (and not harassing or hurting anyone) -redirect funding used to enforce laws against the above mentioned behaviour towards inner city economic development and mental health programs -end carding of people who are not committing a crime -ensure that all police are equipped with mini cams that must be active during all forms of law enforcement -refocus law enforcement on protecting people from violence, theft, and other clear crimes intended to hurt people What do you think must change?