Colby Cosh- Cyclists’ rights — the latest product of judicial hubris
You’ll surely read a lot in the NP’s pages about the Wednesday ruling by Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Schabas which found that the province’s plans to remove exclusive bike lanes on some key Toronto arteries is contrary to the Charter of Rights. Legal conservatives will argue that this decision, if upheld on appeal, amounts to an arrogation of further new powers by a Canadian judiciary that has already been running amok for 50 years. They will characterize it as a matter of scribbling a “right to bike lanes” into the Charter.
Bicycles are not a traditional means of transportation for First Nations, thus they should be banned on traditional lands.
Sarc?
RE: Canada’s runaway judiciary.
In America we are fortunate to have a Declaration of Independence, a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.
In the Anglosphere today we are by far the nation with the most freedom and liberty. It’s not even close. I wish our brothers in Australia, the UK, NZ and Canada were as free but in those 4 countries presently things look pretty dark.
Our country just escaped a disaster in 2024, so trust me I’m not gloating. I’m merely grateful to God.
Amen
You have a real constitution
One that puts limits on the government instead of giving license to the government to limit the rights of the people the way Trudeau’s charter does.
JohnGalt, You escaped the disaster in 1776.
Canada guy, here, suffering what the other “commonwealth” fiefdoms are enjoying.
That said, Baltimore, Minnesota, Chicago, California, etc…a wee bit o darkness all around, eh, wot?
Neither are horses traditional, nor firearms, nor the wheel, nor the written word, Joe. Colonialism is evil but no indigenous person would chose to go back to per-colonial existence.
Justice Paul Schabas is no better than a black-robed terrorist.
I think this ruling is less pro-bike lane and more anti-Doug Ford. Not the first time this has happened to Dougie. Last time he threatened to use the not withstanding clause. It’ll be interesting to see what he does this time.
… and while your government is handing out bike lanes as a human right … please tell the judge that the government OWES me a proper bicycle as well. It’s my human right. I’ve got the tights.
https://contenderbicycles.com/products/pinarello-dogma-f-dura-ace-di2-pm
So cyclists are now obligated to buy liability insurance to share the road with automobiles?
Probably one of the dumbest decisions to ever come out of that moron.
Y’all must have missed the opening argument.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r2lT4oE4DxE
I’m beginning to think that the best way for Canadians to reel this stuff in is to ram it down the throats of those taking liberties with the word “rights.” When you start playing with that word you run the risk of violating the “rights” of similar groups. Canada’s Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) is the closet thing Canada has to the EEOC found in the states. The EEOC is very particular about calling something a “right”, because the moment they do, they violate the law if they don’t provide that right to everyone in equal measure. So, bike lanes. What about rollerbladers? What about hoverboarders? What about Segways? What about scooters?
By NOT calling a bike lane a right you’re fine. But, the second you call it a right, then you are stepping on the feet of those using other forms of alternative transportation. Trying to clean it up by saying that hoverboards and Segways can use the bike lane (and then call it something else all inclusive) is not an option based on safety factors due to speed discrepancy.
Maybe it’s time to ram their oversteps back in their privileged faces. File suit against the municipality for not providing a hoverboard lane and claim it’s a rights violation.
I’m up for pedal car lanes…
So let me get this straight.
A robed nitwit has ruled that bike lanes?
or access to bike lanes is a “Right”.
Here in Can Ahh Duh,where we just found out that our 1968 “Charter of Rights and Freedoms” provides no rights nor freedoms.Tis in fact completely useless when our government is in a state of full blown hysteria,providing the citizen no protection from government panic,overreach and madness.
But Bike Lanes?
Now there is a “Right” our benevolent Uni-Party will permit us.
Are these “rights” for the vaccinated only?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Let me provide some further enlightenment which validates what you posted.
The opening bit of word salad of Trudeau’s charter is a statement that makes reference to some unspecified principles and that God and the state are on equal footing.
This basically is creating the legal fiction that the government can determine that anything they put down in law is equal to nature. Or in the vernacular rule by divine right.
No where in that document is there anything that puts a limit on the powers of the government. And even if it did that opening statement and the not withstanding clause would make it moot.
Canada is run by a bunch of pretentious elites that will get the vapours when someone parks illegally in the six blocks around Parliament Hill, and give barely a mention if paid protesters block a rail line in flyover country.
According to a Canadian local politician, federal street repair money comes with the stipulation that bike lanes must be put in, no exceptions.