Is Canada becoming a police state?

[Cobalt_Kid]

I've been noticing a disturbing trend in the last decade or so. Police officials and unions have been taking a more active roll in politics and seem to want to set policy in Canada instead of enforce laws.

The Toronto PD union in the 1990s was very active politically and helped turf out local politicians they didn't like.

In Edmonton the police chief there got fired for running surveillance operations on councilmen he didn't like.

Our military is even becoming political with the chief of defence staff Gen. Hillier openly supporting the Conservatives by attacking the Liberal Party in the press.

Harper has changed the selection process for new Supreme court judges by including police officials on the selection boards.

In the last election the RCMP took the unusual step of announcing they were investigating the Liberals for releasing insider information that allowed investors to profit. There's no doubt that this damaged the Liberals in the election. The RCMP has now announced that no Liberals were involved in the leak of information but the damage was done.

Do police or military officials have any place in determing policy in this country or should their role only be to follow the direction of those elected by the people?

 

[Fingertrouble]

In Edmonton the police chief there got fired for running surveillance operations on councilmen he didn't like.

He got fired didn't he?? Can you really prove his reason was that he didn't like them.....how do you know that it wasn't because they suspected them of something....they are politicians after all! Ok here I am just playing devils's advocate!

Our military is even becoming political with the chief of defence staff Gen. Hillier openly supporting the Conservatives by attacking the Liberal Party in the press.

I would say that he is defending the military and if that has a political tone to it that is unfortunate, but he has seen the military get run down by the Liberals in their 13 years. In the 1 year of a Conservative government , there are finally commitments to re-equip our brave forces with new equipment so sorely needed (it has cost canadian forces members lives....such as the SeaKing helicopters etc). He is simply doing his job by representing those in his charge, namely those serving in the mititary and their interests. At least finally there is a government that understands that if we are to utilise our military, then we have to stop expecting them to make honey out of dogsh*t! It risks Canadain lives!

Harper has changed the selection process for new Supreme court judges by including police officials on the selection boards.

Seems logical to me, if it is the police who have to work within the framework of Canadian laws and see areas of concern....how many times have we seen repeat offenders released into society by some do-gooder judge, only for that individual to repat offend again...and there is then another victim. Remember the Quebec policewoman gunned down last year????

If you want to raise political questions, I would suggest another area to look would be judges.....now there seems to be an area were political agendas are pitted against one another, both from the right and left.......

 

[Toro]

No, Canada is not becoming a police state.

 

[karra]

I agree with Toro. . . .

 

[marygaspe]

I've been noticing a disturbing trend in the last decade or so. Police officials and unions have been taking a more active roll in politics and seem to want to set policy in Canada instead of enforce laws.
?

May I ask what age group you're in? I ask because Unions have ALWAYS taken an active role in politics, and often so too have various police officials. Hardly means we are a police state because citizens of that state take an active role in politics.

 

[Toro]

And if it was, I sure hope it would be Karra who was pulling the strings!

 

[mapleleafgirl]

if we were a police state, wed know it. i think we are controlled too much by advocacy groups though..who are kinda like the gestapo rooting out anything that dosent agree with their agendas.

 

[tamarin]

Canada is regulation crazy and special interests have been pulling legislative strings since the boom days of that most iniquitous marriage: feminism and political correctness. Lots of days it resembles a police state to me. I thought democracy was all about choice. With the nanny state in control it's less about choice than whose choice.

 

[I think not]

Definition: A police state is a state with authority which uses the police, especially secret police, to maintain and enforce political power, through violent or arbitrary means if necessary.


Not even close.

 

[CDNBear]

The Toronto PD union in the 1990s was very active politically and helped turf out local politicians they didn't like.

You mean people like Olivia Chow, the woman was a detriment to police safety, she fought everything from improved Bulletproof vest to upgrading the sidearms.

Our military is even becoming political with the chief of defence staff Gen. Hillier openly supporting the Conservatives by attacking the Liberal Party in the press.

He didn't support the Cons, he told the truth, he was showing support for the people who depend on his candure and drive, the ones with their collective "asses in the grasses".

Harper has changed the selection process for new Supreme court judges by including police officials on the selection boards.

This is bad? Have you seen how lax the laws are being applied, house arrest for violent crime, low sentencing of pedophiles and abusers? Anything that looks like change for a stiffer court system, is ok IMHO.

In the last election the RCMP took the unusual step of announcing they were investigating the Liberals for releasing insider information that allowed investors to profit. There's no doubt that this damaged the Liberals in the election. The RCMP has now announced that no Liberals were involved in the leak of information but the damage was done.

Because there were anomolous activities, investigation is what Police Forces do.

Do police or military officials have any place in determing policy in this country or should their role only be to follow the direction of those elected by the people?

Their lives and the lives of the men that serve this Nation depend on the support they get from the Government. If there is one paty that consistantly jeapordizes their lives, by inaction, or neglect, then they have the right to address that. And seeing that they are at the mercy of said party's, and have the info or proof of said actions, they most certainly should speakout and expose that to the people.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

Guess it's just me then.

I don't like the idea of our police and military officials picking the people who are going to exercise oversite on them. Unfortunately they're just as human as the rest of us and are also armed. I think they should follow and not lead. I believe in Democracy and that doesn't work very well when people and politicians are worried about upsetting the guys with all guns.

@Fingertrouble
"He got fired didn't he?? Can you really prove his reason was that he didn't like them.....how do you know that it wasn't because they suspected them of something....they are politicians after all! Ok here I am just playing devils's advocate!"

Yah, he did get fired. He wasn't carrying out a criminal investigation, he was looking for dirt on the politicians because they weren't supporting him in council.

@ITN
I was asking if Canada was heading in the direction of a police state not "Are we there yet?"

To create a police state you first need to remove effective civilian control of the police and military. Most of the leaders in a police state come from the police or military.

 

[tamarin]

Police states also efficiently manage the legislative arm of government to direct behaviour and inhibit the free flow of ideas and free speech. Canada does this. I've seen many a public official humbled in the last ten years when he dared to voice an opinion the roost didn't share. You either have free speech or you don't. And police states have little tolerance for dissent. No qualms here most days on labelling Canada a de facto police state. None at all.

 

[darkbeaver]

In my opinion we are becoming a police state, and it's not just our Canadian police, US police agents are operating with offices in Canada. We are also at war and this has to be considered when we think about police powers. :wave: