My published comments on newspaper articles. Part 1

Various newspapers around the world invite their readers to submit their views for publication on the various articles they publish. What follows are ten submissions of the many of mine that were published. I will quote in part some of what was published by THE TORONTO STAR and then give you my published comments typed in bold.

LEGAL ISSUES

The British government has introduced a $200 million package of measures to combat knife crimes, including: more powers given to police to stop and search teenagers, and those caught carrying knives could face prosecution and prison.

It is against the law in Canada to carry a knife

If anyone carries a knife in Canada that is larger than a pocket knife, and they are not camping or hunting outside the city limits, they can be arrested for carrying a weapon dangerous to the public peace. Carry such a weapon for self protection is also illegal in Canada. As I see it, anyone found with a large knife on his person in a public place should automatically get one month in jail and it is their second offence, the term of imprisonment should be six months in jail; and a year for every offence after those first two offences.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Wednesday, July 16 2008


Jennifer Stoddart in a speech to the Canadian Bar Association is proposing radical changes to the long-standing rule that courts are open to public scrutiny. Under her proposal, names and personal information would be removed from judges' decisions and case information posted on the Internet. Initials, would replace actual names as part of the "anonymizing" process. Stoddart said while personal details can be important to a case, she's not convinced their names need to be known to the world at large.

Exceptions should be made

I believe that all names that are listed in family courts should be reduced to initials only. That can be brought about with an order of the family court judge that heard the case to the court reporter who types up the decision. With respect to all other court matters, I see no reason why the full names can't be printed in the decision other than those under the age of 18.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Wednesday, August 20, 2008


Two Toronto councillors want taxpayers to pick up almost $100,000 in legal fees they incurred fighting complaints about their election campaign expenses in 2006.

Citizens who demand investigations should pay

I think the citizens who demand an investigation into the accounts of city counselors should pay the counselor's legal costs if it is determined that the counselors did no wrong. If the citizen doesn't have the money, then the city should pay the legal fees and go after the citizen. Later if the citizen doesn't pay the fees incurred by the counselor, that citizen should be prohibited from demanding any more investigations.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Thursday, August 28 2008


A posh golf course in Vancouver, B.C., is denying membership to non-English-speaking players. The club's general manager, Brent Gough, has said the policy is designed to ensure all members are able to understand the club's rules. He said, "We ask them to go away and take language courses and reapply."

Excuse is absurd

Denying membership in a private club to non-speaking citizens because they won't be able to read the Rules is absurd and a very lame excuse. What they should do is put the Rules in a computer and when a foreign-speaking citizen seeks membership, translate the Rules into his or her own language and print them and hand them to the new member. The private club knows that is feasible but naturally, they know that would mean that they would have to then accept the foreign-speaking citizens into their club and that isn’t really what they want to do. I hope the club is brought before the Human Rights Tribunal and fined heavily.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Saturday, August 30 2008.



A passenger in a Greyhound bus killed and beheaded another passenger while enroute to Edmonton, Alberta. The Amalgamated Transit Union said the union will push for improved security measures, including restricting carry-on luggage on its buses.

Stupid proposal

I think the bus company's proposal that all passengers be prohibited from bringing carry-on bags into the bus is nonsense. If a maniac intends to kill someone, he could do it just by bringing a small knife on board the bus, a knife that is concealed in his jacket pocket.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Monday, September 1, 2008


MOTORISTS

The Pontiac came in front of the SUV and jammed on the brakes, causing the SUV to swerve, hitting the guardrail. According to witnesses, the driver of the SUV was ejected from his vehicle when it rolled over. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dangerous driver should be charged with manslaughter

I think drivers who kill someone because of their dangerous driving should be convicted of manslaughter and serve a minimum of 20 years in prison. If that doesn't act as a deterrent, I don't know what will.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on September 1, 2008



A man, driving a VW Jetta, was charged yesterday with doing 90km/h in a 40km/h zone on Avenue Rd., north of Eglinton Ave. The police clockeda middle-age mom in her Volvo speeding through a school zone at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday past a school and daycare. She was on her way home to take one of her children to another daycare. Both were charged with street racing, had their vehicles impounded immediately for seven days, had their licence suspended seven days and given court dates where they face fines ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.

Street racers should be heavily punished.

Here is how I propose that street racers should be punished. First offence; seven day suspension of driver's licence, seizure of vehicle and impounded for seven days and $2000 fine along with 20% surcharge which means the fine is $2400. Second offence; 30 days suspension of driver's licence, seizure of vehicle and impounded for 30 days and $5000 fine and surcharge of 20% which means the fine will be $6000. Third offence; six months suspension of driver's licence, seizure of vehicle and impounded for six months and a ten thousand dollar fine with a 20% surcharge which will raise the fine to $12,000 along with a 30-day period of incarceration. Fourth offence; one year suspension of driver's licence, seizure of the vehicle which will be sold at public auction, and $15,000 fine and 20% surcharge which will increase the fine to $18,000 along with incarceration for six months.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Saturday, September 06 2008


Suspended drivers caused more than 1,300 collisions in the province in 2006 – and the The Waterloo Region Record told of a Toronto woman, Gloria O'Neill, a repeat offender who hit a pedestrian and dragged him to his death. Her licence was suspended many times and she had many accidents while driving under her suspensions.

Imprison repeat offenders

Gloria O'Neill, a repeat offender who hit a pedestrian and dragged him to his death is the poster child of drivers who drive with a suspended licence. Here is how I think they should be dealt with. For a first offence, another year added as a suspension of their licence and a $1000 fine with 20% victim surcharge. Second offence; two-year suspension and $2000 fine with 20% surcharge along with impounding of vehicle for 15 days and 30-days in jail. Third offence; three year suspension and $5000 fine with 20% surcharge along with six months impounding of vehicle and six months in jail. Fourth offence; five-year suspension and $10,000 fine with 20% surcharge, seizure of vehicle which is to be sold at public auction, one year imprisonment. If anyone is killed by the offender when driving the vehicle while under suspension, permanent ban of driving along with appropriate term of imprisonment

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Thursday, September 11, 2008


New young drivers in Ontario could face tougher restrictions like a longer wait to get a full licence and tighter rules about carrying passengers if new legislation passes this fall, says the provincial government.

Longer waits not necessary for mature adults

It has been a long established view that motorists over the age of 26 are for the most part mature enough to drive sensibly. It is for this reason that I believe that new drivers who are over 26 years of age shouldn't have to wait as long for their full driver's licences as those new drivers under 26 have to.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Thursday, September 11, 2008



Three young men were charged in connection a crash, which occurred near Highway 89. In June, Nauman Nusrat, 20, was sentenced to two years of house arrest, followed by two years of probation, after pleading guilty to criminal negligence by way of street racing causing death, driving without insurance and having forged insurance documents. As the province prepares to add restrictions to young drivers, the widow of a trucker killed in the street racing crash has launched a safety campaign that will encourage motorists to call police when they spot aggressive drivers.

Calling the police a waste of time

Street racers who cause deaths to innocent motorists or pedestrians should automatically be sent to prison for a long time. Sentencing them to house arrest for two years while their victims are in their graves is outrageous. Further, I don't think calling the police while witnessing street racing or other forms of dangerous driving really works. I called the police a number of times while witnessing dangerous drivers and not once did they come onto the scene even though I was following these drivers for more than half an hour. Recently, I saw a woman speed up and go through a red light and later when I asked her why she did that, she said that she went through the red light because I wouldn't let her get ahead of me. I immediately went to the police and gave them the information. I said I would go to court as a witness. She wasn't charged with anything even though I witnessed her speeding through a red light. So much for police cooperation.

Posted by Dahn Batchelor on Friday, September 12 2008


I will publish more of my comments like these ones at a later date. You too can get your own comments published if you go to The Toronto Star.