Comments on: Whitewash!

By: Cameron Ward

Cameron Ward — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:15:45 +0000

Hi Harvey;

While most lawyers will defend the justice system come hell or high water, I couldn’t agree more with your views on the Dziekanski case…and the criminal justice system in BC generally.

All the best in your retirement.

Cameron Ward
A. Cameron Ward & Company
Barristers & Solicitors

(Response: By the way, Cameron also has a wbsite: http://www.cameronward.com ho)

By: RS

RS — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:55:42 +0000

Take their tasers away and arm them with staplers. We all saw the video. The outcome in this case is unacceptable, but then what do you expect in a province where the governing party stonewalls the justice system for five years ‘n’ counting to save face, and a country where the prime minister won’t leave the house without his personal garrison of RCMP officers protecting him from whom — the press?
It’s high time we all take up arms (pens, ballots ‘n’ staplers if need be) and remind these miscreants, we affectionately refer to as politicians, that they are working for us, and demand of them the integrity, honesty, openness and accountability we expect from our staff.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:23:10 +0000

Good for you, Harvey. That’s about all we can do is keep the pressure on. And good for the CBC too in its investigation of Tasers.

One of the things that still stands out for me in the video of the Dziekanski killing was one of the RCMP, as the were running towards the scene, was already asking “Should we Taser him?” I think it was the very same day that people working for Blackwater in Iraq opened fire on innocent civilians. If violent, often lethal, force is the first option, people will use it. If they are taught that it has to be the last option, other means will be found.

By: henripaul

henripaul — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:42:57 +0000

R.C.M.T.—–Royal Canadian Mounted Terrorist

By: claudia

claudia — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:44:35 +0000

No doubt about it, those officers all marched in with all braun and no brains. They should have treated this case the same as a potential suicide. Clearly he was emotionaly distressed. If someone had walked into that room with a cup of java and a muffin what would the outcome have been? Instead we hear that he got treated this way because he was an alcoholic.

The RCMP are really disappointing and get less respect with every incident such as this.

By: RossK

RossK — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:02:21 +0000

“Yet, when the Royal Cowboy Mounted Police arrived, it took them all of 24 seconds (24 SECONDS!!!) to shoot the Polish immigrant, who was brandishing a stapler……

As someone else said elsewhere to great effect….if staplers are so lethal maybe the Horsemen should be carrying them instead.

By: LP

LP — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:00:26 +0000

We all have a boss.
Who is the RCMP’s boss? The Federal Gov’t.
I am ashamed that the once honourable RCMP is now nothing more than something to feel embarrassed about.

By: Gary E

Gary E — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:42:20 +0000

I have to mention another incident with tasers Harvey. It involves the RCMP in 100 Mile House where a constable was convicted in the use of tasers. But the strange thing is the conviction didn’t appear to cover what actually happened. At least not in the printed media.
Seems that an eyewitness saw a man tasered while in custody in a police cruiser. But the conviction doesn’t mention anything about that.

By: RS

RS — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:31:28 +0000

Yeah ‘n’ the young man who was shot in the back of the head by an RCMP officer in Houston, BC?

OUTRAGEOUS!!!

By: Janice Elliott

Janice Elliott — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:52:13 +0000

What can we all do about this?? I feel helpless and a stab 30 times is a 5 year sentence. And the taser victim was supposed to be withdrawing from alcohol but no alcohol was in his system?? What do we do other than talk????

(Response: I believe, Janice, that talking helps. It shows those in power we know what they are doing (or are not doing) and we condemn them publicly for it; and maybe it gives a little comfort to those victims who suffer a lack of justice to know others stand with them and will speak out. ho)