Blue Line Magazine April 2011
Are we paying attention?
Looking at the horrific aftermath of the Japanese earthquake makes you wonder what would have happened if it had occurred in Canada. Are we as prepared as the Japanese government, their emergency services or people? It is a difficult question to answer.
The most significant lesson from Japan is that disasters are never singular events. The multiple horrors the quake caused was accompanied by a Tsunami and then multiplied by exploding nuclear reactors.
The next Trans-Canada vision
The Constitution Act of 1867 created the “Dominion of Canada” and included a written condition to build the Intercolonial Railway as a means of unifying the new nation.
Likewise, the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1948 created a national highway network as a means of unifying a more modern motorized nation after the Second World War.
Now in the 21st century, the federal government has a great opportunity to make the next great nation-unifying decision, albeit in a slightly less obvious manner unlikely to attract nearly as many votes.
Good faith belief must be reasonable
Good faith is more than just having an honest belief. The belief must also be reasonable.
In R. v. Caron, 2011 BCCA 56 a police officer on highway patrol clocked a vehicle on radar traveling at 165 km/h per hour in a 100 km/h zone. He turned on his emergency lights and siren and pursued it as, at one point, it slowed to 120 km/h, crossed over a doubleyellow centre line and into the on-coming lane to pass a truck.
The officer followed for approximately two kilometers before it pulled over. He arrested Caron, the driver and sole occupant, for dangerous driving. He was advised of his rights, handcuffed and placed in the rear of the police vehicle.