We all know the story by now, if not, read it above.
Careless driving is pretty serious business, as far as the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario is concerned. Possible jail time. Six demerit points. Fines between $200 but not more than $1000.
To play devil’s advocate here, his fine is within reason. And charges get dropped and/or pleaded down fairly often. (If the coke charge was trumped up by police, as alleged, maybe they should have an inquiry? As if. ) Maybe in this combination, his case is a little rare, but legally speaking, it seems OK. It bugs me though. I find it hard to believe that your average Joe Blow, without Jaffer’s relative affluence and connections, could get a deal like that.
Should it matter that the judge in the case was a Tory? I’m sure lots of judges are Tory… and… judges are impartial, right? Never mind that his judge actually said “I’m sure you can recognize a break when you see one,” in court. I don’t know where that whole “get tough on crime” stuff went, but I guess he’s not letting his political views influence his sentencing in this sense?* Maybe these aren’t the crimes the Tories want to “Get Tough” on? I mean, drunk driving, drug possession… whatever, right? Let’s get tough on those (other) real criminals committing those (other) real crimes… whatever they are…
Incidentally, Jaffer’s wife is Minister of State (Status of Women), who is also known for her stellar behaviour. I don’t think anything really happened to her either.
One system for them, one for us
Ex-MP Jaffer fined for careless driving
We all know the story by now, if not, read it above.
Careless driving is pretty serious business, as far as the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario is concerned. Possible jail time. Six demerit points. Fines between $200 but not more than $1000.
To play devil’s advocate here, his fine is within reason. And charges get dropped and/or pleaded down fairly often. (If the coke charge was trumped up by police, as alleged, maybe they should have an inquiry? As if. ) Maybe in this combination, his case is a little rare, but legally speaking, it seems OK. It bugs me though. I find it hard to believe that your average Joe Blow, without Jaffer’s relative affluence and connections, could get a deal like that.
Should it matter that the judge in the case was a Tory? I’m sure lots of judges are Tory… and… judges are impartial, right? Never mind that his judge actually said “I’m sure you can recognize a break when you see one,” in court. I don’t know where that whole “get tough on crime” stuff went, but I guess he’s not letting his political views influence his sentencing in this sense?* Maybe these aren’t the crimes the Tories want to “Get Tough” on? I mean, drunk driving, drug possession… whatever, right? Let’s get tough on those (other) real criminals committing those (other) real crimes… whatever they are…
Incidentally, Jaffer’s wife is Minister of State (Status of Women), who is also known for her stellar behaviour. I don’t think anything really happened to her either.
*it hurts my brain to try to spin it that way.