WRONG MESSAGE

Re: Protecting Us, May 1.

I respectfully suggest that it is letter-writer Marty Gobin who does
not fully appreciate the the implications of the Supreme Court's
ruling on arbitrary searches.

If protecting the 'rights' of law-abiding citizens includes by
implication the rights of those people who are breaking the law, then
I can not help but feel that this logic is flawed.

In this particular case, I wonder what message this sends to our
younger generation. Break the law regarding possession of illegal
drugs, break the rules of the school which strictly prohibits drugs on
school property, but then wrap yourself in the Charter of Rights to
avoid responsibility for your actions.

With this ruling, surely the next court case will challenge the
Ontario Provincial Police and its RIDE programs which arbitrarily stop
motorists in search of the 'handful' of impaired drivers. Surely the
manipulation of the Charter of Rights in this fashion erodes the
original spirit of the legislation.

Ian MacLeod,

Ottawa