Law Enforcement in Canada - Part 2 - Ontario Police Letter Calling for A Moratorium on Enforcing Public Health By Laws Until Charter Issues Are Clarified

 

On December 21st, 2020 A Letter Reported to be From Ontario Law Enforcement Officers entered the public domain with the following message:  

"We are a group of concerned retired and active duty peace officers looking to see the end of unconstitutional public health orders. Read our initial letter."

Below is the full text of the letter to preserve and protect it.

Citizens of Ontario, Ontario’s Chiefs of Police, Police Associations, Premier of Ontario, Ministry of Attorney General, Ministry of the Solicitor General, Municipal Politicians, Public Health Officials

21^st December 2020

I am a Police Officer and know many other officers that support the following message.

After the unfortunate events in Calgary, the time for action is now. I have serious concerns over Premier Ford's decision to expand further restrictions that put law enforcement officers in an untenable situation that must be avoided.

For 10 months public officials and bureaucrats have been operating with arbitrary emergency powers that often violate the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Everyday Premier Ford, Mayor Tory, and politically appointed bureaucrats are on television, radio, and in the newspapers, calling on Ontarians to slowly allow civil liberties to be taken away.

What I have seldom seen is any comment by those in positions of Law Enforcement and the Judicial System addressing the lawfulness of these measures, or on the grave consequences they create.

I am calling on the following stakeholders to immediately meet independently from Politicians and Bureaucrats: the Ontario Chiefs of Police, Police Associations, members of the Ministry of the Attorney General including Crown Attorneys, Judges, Justices of the Peace, and Constitutional lawyers.

Please collaborate and deliver clear and concise direction to the men and women in law enforcement. Until this happens, a moratorium needs to be declared on the enforcement of public health orders by peace officers. 10 months has been far too long for this not to have happened.  

Are police officers supposed to uphold the Charter which they have taken an oath to protect? Or do Municipal By Laws now supersede the Constitution?

At a time when the public trust in police has nearly eroded beyond repair this is of paramount importance. The citizens of Ontario deserve transparency from the officials they have elected as well as from the police that are sworn to serve and protect. This is not an unreasonable request.

What happened in Calgary cannot happen again. Never in my life did I think I would see police officers threatening to Taser and arrest kids playing pond hockey.

Signed

Police on Guard for Thee

Will you stand? 

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Freedom of Conscience

Sec. 2 (a), one of the Fundamental Freedoms under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides that “everyone has the right of freedom of conscience and religion.” This is inalienable. 

"Freedom of conscience in a democratic society is said to be the “freedom to have, hold and act upon (or not) one’s conscientiously-held beliefs” (Greg Peters, 2001).

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights outlines freedom of conscience:

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this includes the freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Sources: 

Government of Canada/Department of Justice. Guide to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/how-rights-protected/guide-canadian-charter-rights-freedoms.html.

Peters, G. (2001).  “Nurturing the Spirit of Democracy: Freedom of Conscience.” University of New Brunswick. Retrieved from: http://www.unb.ca/democracy/English/Ideas/Freedoms/Conscience/conscience%20paper.pdf.

Secretary. (2012). Freedom of Conscience – What it Means for Canadians. Rocky Mountain Civil Liberties Association. Retrieved from:  http://www.rmcla.ca/blog/?p=252.

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Interviews with Vincent Gircys

[Editor Note: Blogger wouldn't let me embed the videos into this post, so click on the links provided.] 

When Officers Start Speaking Out, Its Time to Listen Canada

Stand Up Canada. (Dec. 4, 2020). Youtube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdKtEdI8Sb4&feature=emb_logo.

An Oath to Canada & Canadians Retired OPP Officer Vince Gircys Joins Us

Canada First With the Grizzly Patriot. (Dec. 1, 2020). Youtube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZeaqcIctL8. 

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