New Charter rights...

[massmachine]

Ever been arrested? If so, make sure the police read you your new charter rights...

I am arresting you for_______________________________________________ _____________________________________(read the charge directly from the Criminal Code of Canada in Arabic, French and English).
It is my duty to inform you that you have the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay. You have the right to telephone any lawyer you wish. You also have the right to free advice from a Legal Aid Lawyer @ 1-800-265-0451.

It is my duty to ask you if you were hurt in any way while, since I had to defend myself and my partner when you violently attacked us during your arrest? If so, you have the right to contact any person in the media you wish to accuse me of using excessive force. If you do not know anyone in the media, you will be put in contact with a reporter from the local media.
It is also my duty to apologize to you for using offensive language towards you while you would not stop resisting arrest.
If you do not find my apology acceptable, you will be put in contact with the Chief of police to make a direct complaint about my conduct. At this time, you have the right to continue verbally assaulting me and my family.
It is also my duty to inform you that you will be released from prison as soon as possible,
if your stay with us has been cold, uncomfortable or if the free meals the taxpayers have supplied you are unacceptable,
It is your right to speak to the Chief of police immediately.
If you have been arrested for impaired driving, and I have made any mistake in my notes in regards to times, where I stopped you, the make or model of your vehicle,
if my roadside screening device has not yet been calibrated today, or
if any other mistakes have been made, the charges against you will be dropped once you attend court,
if someone has died due to your negligence, you will be put in contact with a councillor to discuss your feelings.
If you are or believe you are a visible minority, chances are I only arrested your for that reason, it had nothing to do with the severe crime you had just committed. It is my duty to ask you to inform the court, so that the charges against you can be thrown out.
It is my duty to ask you if you are feeling depressed about your current arrest.
1-800-265-0452 is a toll free number which will put you in contact with a duty psychologist for personal crisis counselling.
It is also my duty to ask how your vehicle is running?
I have a list of reasonably priced mechanics who will inspect your vehicle at your convenience.
It is also my duty to ask if you are hungry at this time?
If so, I will purchase something to eat for you at a restaurant of your choice because your welfare is my highest priority.
It is my duty to inform you that 1-800-265-0454 is a tollfree number that will put you in contact with an Information Hotline for free advice on any matter that you might be concerned with at this time.
It is also my duty to inform you that this arrest will be considered unlawful by the courts.
1-800-265-0455 is a toll free number that will put you in contact with the Police Complaints Commission. If you are not satisfied with the action taken by the Police Complaints Commission you have the right to contact the Human Rights Commission. You should be aware that if you contact either of these Commissions while you are in custody or detention, you may be asked to prepare and present a brief report which details how you have been subjected to racist, sexist, and homophobic behaviour on the part of Police and Correctional staff.

Do you understand?

Do you wish to call a lawyer, psychologist, veterinarian, mechanic, Information Hotline, Commission, Board of Inquiry, near relative, Chief of police, girlfriend/boyfriend or both, other interested party, or if you wish to have some time alone in the private phone room?

Do you wish to drive the police cruiser to the detachment yourself?

Oh :flagC

[RagingRandy]

Though it may be distasteful to some in a civilized society you are not a criminal until convicted. This means that a person being charged is due the respect that you would give any stranger. Do not confuse political correctness with decency.

Do not think I am some lenient liberal. In fact I believe in the death penalty and believe if you kill someone while driving you should be charged with manslaughter.

[PdH]

Charter rights are a terrible thing. The bane of our society, unless of course you believe in due process.

[waderow]

The post is sooo Canadian.

It is obviously a satire, but only the nature of the post.... the content is quite factual

[CanadianIron]

Though it may be distasteful to some in a civilized society you are not a criminal until convicted. This means that a person being charged is due the respect that you would give any stranger. Do not confuse political correctness with decency.

Do not think I am some lenient liberal. In fact I believe in the death penalty and believe if you kill someone while driving you should be charged with manslaughter.

Thats a lie perpetrated by our media... a cop can clearly tell who is or who is not a criminal in many situations. If a cop sees a guy beating his girlfriend he doesnt need a court to tell him the dude is a criminal. If someone is under the influence of meth/crack/heroin etc, they are a criminal.. again, they are guilty, there should be no assumsion of innocense in situations where people are obviously guilty.

[RagingRandy]

^^^^Summary execution at the cops discretion then? I think I prefer things as is.

[buildinthaskinnys]

Thats a lie perpetrated by our media... a cop can clearly tell who is or who is not a criminal in many situations. If a cop sees a guy beating his girlfriend he doesnt need a court to tell him the dude is a criminal. If someone is under the influence of meth/crack/heroin etc, they are a criminal.. again, they are guilty, there should be no assumsion of innocense in situations where people are obviously guilty.

Obviously guilty in the eyes of one person, but everyone see situations differently to a certain degree.

What if his girlfriend was beating him before? and then brandished a knife in order to kill the boyfriend? what if it was in self defence and the police officer arrived at the right moment? What if someone is forced to do crack against their will? or maybe they are showing signs of drug abuse but in fact their behavior is due to prescribed meds gone awry? Basically what you are saying is that the police force should be given the power of judge, jury and executioner, basically you are saying canada would be better if every cop was like Judge Dredd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJiYrRcfQo&feature=related

Times were like this not long ago, it was common for the police to turn over the suspect to a linch mob or they themselve head or participate, many innocents died this way without trial or jury usually based on circumstantial evidence. Its amazing how many people think that law and order can function without eachother.

[PdH]

K, this is the way it works in the common law. When someone commits a criminal act they are commiting a violation against the state. The victim as a person is of no consequence legally. It's a violation of legislation laid out by the state. Thus, the reason for an adversarial system - the accused gets an advocate to defend against the unlimited power of the state to prosecute. Without this form of due process and a presumption of innocence you have totalitarianism, not democracy.

The point of the Charter is to ensure that the state and/or state agents don't violate due process (the Charter simply replaced the previous Bill of Rights). It's the essence of democracy and capitalism. For those who are thinking of giving some uninformed example of the U.S. and their constitution, Americans have much greater freedoms and much lower conviction rates than Canadians. The difference is that in the U.S. each state legislates criminal law and penalties, while in Canada the Feds have complete jurisdiction over criminal law which is uniform throughout the country (and bail as well there cndsoldier) and provinces have jurisdiction over the administration of courts. Don't like the Charter, try to imagine what type of state we would have without it or a Bill of Rights.