JUSTICE MUST BE SEEN TO BE DONE

I have long wondered as to why governments spend so much money on education. I have also wondered why they waste so much money in the same area. So many government education initiatives are simply flavour of the month fads and unproven theories. One needs only follow the SQE (Society for a Quality Education) website to understand why our students are falling further behind the rest of the world.

Whatever the quality our young people receive, credentialism is at an all time high. Soon you will need a high school diploma to operate a cash register. A Bachelor's degree will be mandatory for most office jobs of the most menial kind. Education like health, justice, labour, environment and more is all about appearances. The public need to be convinced that Canada has world class capabilities in all these areas. In other words puffery is what it is all about. Our Justice system in particular relies not so much on results as on perception. Are we locking up rabid terrorists? Are we making the streets safer for citizens? Do citizens charged with crimes really receive fair trials and are only convicted when proven beyond a reasonable doubt? Does the rule of law really apply in Canada or do the wealthy and influential receive preferential treatment?

I, based on having watched our judicial system both from afar and up close and personal, have very little confidence in it. My favourite saying is that here in Canada we have the best judicial system in the world; that money can buy. This opinion is based upon decades of watching, reading and paying close attention to newspapers, television, books and first and second hand accounts by citizens. If you are wealthy you will have every possible means available to you in order to defend yourself from any and all charges with possibly a few exceptions on terrorism charges.

For something as relatively simple as Municipal Election Act charges I have detailed here in the Advocate the difficulties I have had following the process set out to lay a private Information. Ten charges have now been laid and in theory at least will be heard one week from this Wednesday (Oct. 28) in Provincial Court, Kitchener. Why do I doubt that the system will follow through honestly, transparently and fully? Why do I expect last minute procedural bullshit to triumph?

Justice must be done but more importantly it must be seen to be done. Otherwise citizens will lose faith in their government and in all its' institutions. Councillors Hahn and Bauman essentially walked, up here in Woolwich, despite their gross election campaign contraventions. Councillor Hahn did have a Compliance/Forensic Audit ordered and produced yet despite stunning evidence calling into question the authenticity of some of his produced documentation, the Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC) refused to send him on to the courts or a prosecuter for examination.

The mayor Shantz case has gone further despite our judicial system, not because of it, so far. Perhaps I will be ultimately pleasantly surprised. There are however certain minimum required elements that must occur prior to October 28 for me to have any confidence in the outcome. To date they have not occurred. They include such simple and obvious things as communication ahead of time. Has the mayor Shantz case at least reached the level of public knowledge that our authorities will feel the need to at least put on a display of judicial attention and concern or will it be yet another dog and pony show of the five minute variety put on by MECAC on July 2/15 in Woolwich Council Chambers?