ROTTEN TO THE CORE?

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following two stories titled "Monteiro and Mann are not the real problem" by Luisa D'Amato and "Conversation on gender discrimination disputed in police lawsuit" by Liz Monteiro.

I'm going to look at the bigger picture. First of all the law is an ass. Secondly politicians generally who write laws are asses. Thirdly police, prosecutors and courts are asses. Lastly the so called Rule of Law is both an ass and a sham. The Rule of Law states that all men (& women) will be treated the same before the law and the courts. Really and how pray tell has that been working of late? Do we not have decades of male bullying and discrimination in numerous work places? The Mounties have already been hammered with successful lawsuits. I took the City of Waterloo to the Human Rights Commission. Firefighters have been disciplined long after the fact for their treatment of female recruits and on and on. Same thing in the military and every other male dominated job or profession. For how long were women denied the right to be doctors? How long including the present have women been underrepresented as tenured University professors? And yet our precious laws both provincial and federal say that this is all illegal. Well if it's illegal and it's happening then what does this say about our entire judicial system from police to the courts? For me what it says is that all these human rights laws are second class laws. They were passed by our politicians simply for show. They were passed in order to receive votes both male and female. They were passed either with tacit or explicit communications to those in authority that they would NOT be enforced. They are laws that our male dominated power brokers then intentionally choose to disregard until or unless bones are broken and or concussions sustained. Then the system will step in. Not before. Hence intimidation and discrimination prevails whether denying of promotions, transfers, abuses of authority and personal harassment.

These laws are all around us. Municipal by-laws are "complaint driven". Election Financing laws are a joke. Labour safety laws especially in non-union workplaces only kick in again after horrendous injuries or on the job deaths, year in and year out. Driving laws other than speeding and drinking and driving are constantly ignored. When was the last time you heard of anybody getting a ticket for failing to signal a turn? Maybe AFTER an accident, otherwise never. Driving in the fast lane with the right lane empty never gets a ticket even when motorists end up passing on the right. Last second multi lane changes in order to exit, same thing. Stopping your car on the roadway whether in a roundabout or otherwise when you have the right of way, no ticket. All of these behaviours are illegal but after decades of non-enforcement they are routine.

Today's two Record articles add fuel to the fire raging here in Waterloo Region and elsewhere. The rot starts at the top and works its' way downwards. From Regional politicians, municipal politicians and even here in Woolwich Township where provincial law allows municipal councils to ignore election results and literally appoint anybody to a vacant council seat. Do you think most Councils will choose anyone, no matter how popular with the voters, if they think that person won't go along with the gang? Most Councils are more prepared to appoint those willing to go along in order to get along. Ethics be damned! Independent thinking be damned!

Chief Larkin is in trouble as are Councillors Mann and Monteiro. Our Police Services Board should all be fired. Our Regional Council, especially the senior members, should all be ashamed of themselves for their lack of honest and decent oversight of the Regional Police. Citizens it is housecleaning time. This should include both the upcoming provincial and municipal elections at the least.