GROWING TIRED OF THE LAW

If marijuana grow operations represent a serious criminal threat, they
should be dealt with by police, not hydro utility workers.

Ontario Solicitor General Monte Kwinter said last week that he intends
to bring in a law that gives hydro workers the power to shut off power
to homes suspected of being grow operations. In this scenario, hydro
workers become a kind of unofficial detective, monitoring the
consumption of power and throwing the off switch when they've got
enough evidence.

Mr. Kwinter said one of the problems with the alarming number of grow
houses in Ontario is that police need search warrants to enter
suspected houses. Exactly.

Search warrants are a key piece of our justice system, ensuring that
police entry into private property is not arbitrary and that there is
oversight by a judge or justice of the peace.

Like any responsible citizens, hydro officials should inform police of
suspected crimes. But it's not in tune with the legal and political
freedoms of this country to have hydro-meter inspectors working as
proxies of the police.