Are they putting something in the water up there? In case they didn’t notice, things are so bad, rioters probably won’t even bother with the Guy Fawkes mask soon:
A bill that bans the wearing of masks during a riot or unlawful assembly and carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence with a conviction of the offence became law today.
Bill C-309, a private member’s bill introduced by Conservative MP Blake Richards in 2011, passed third reading in the Senate on May 23 and was proclaimed law during a royal assent ceremony in the Senate this afternoon.
Richards, MP for Wild Rose, Alta., said the bill is meant to give police an added tool to prevent lawful protests from becoming violent riots, and that it will help police identify people who engage in vandalism or other illegal acts. The bill is something that police, municipal authorities and businesses hit hard by riots in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and other cities in recent years, were asking for, according to Richards.
“The provisions of my bill are effective immediately, which means police officers across Canada now have access to these tools to protect the public from masked rioters,” Richards said in a statement being released today.
The bill creates a new Criminal Code offence that makes it illegal to wear a mask or otherwise conceal your identity during a riot or unlawful assembly. Exceptions can be made if someone can prove they have a “lawful excuse” for covering their face such as religious or medical reasons.
The bill originally proposed a penalty of up to five years, but the House of Commons justice committee amended it and doubled the penalty to up to 10 years in prison for committing the offence.
Richards noted in his statement how rare it is for a private member’s bill to become law and said that its final passage is the culmination of two years of work and a lot of consultation with police and business owners.
“We can all rest easier tonight knowing our communities have been made safer with its passage,” said Richards.
Thanks to DUI attorney Karin Porter.
The 1% is clearly feeling the presssure from the 99% worldwide. Take the U.S. for example. The 1% seems to be offering us the choice of either Hillary Clinton or Chris Christie in 2016. Some choice. Hillary is a card carrying member of the 1%. So is Chris. Hillary is an anti-union free market Capitalist. So is Chris. Hillary is a neo-con interventionist. So is Chris (because he doesn’t know the first thimg about foreign policy and so he will listen to the Hawks). We’ve already lived through 30 years of Reagan-omics and neo-con war intervention. Do we really want to live through 4 more with Hillary or Christie in charge if we all survive the Obama administration? Democrats may be the dumbest people in America except for the Republicans.
Hmm, let’s see if you don’t hide your face, we will horribly surpress you AND if you do hide your face, we will horribly surpress you. I think the message is don’t protest us horribly surpressing you.
In a sane world, a mask at a political protest would be viewed as a form of editorial comment; as a form of free speech.
The use of money in unlimited quantities constitutes free speech these days.
Maybe the thing to do is come to the protest with various types of currency and draw symbols and masks on them. At least the money is entitled to free speech, even if the 99% are not.
Don’t all of our politicians and the 1% wear masks everyday? Like in “It was the least untruthful thing I could say.” Corrupt frauds.
Anecdotal evidence, but, noteworthy, my Canadian friends are very disturbed by the regime up there.
This is crazy… I think, now, I am glad I am old…
Boohunney – I turn 58 in August and I’m thankful every day I wasn’t born any later than I was. I just squeeked in as a kid and got to see America when it was beautiful and before it started going to h_ll. Unfortunately the downslide has coincided with my entire adult working life. My faith that things will improve is pretty much gone.
I think the PTBs are getting ready for really big, big, big groups of the 99 Percenters getting out on the streets.
There will be many more such laws.
Until comes the revolution….