Freedom matters. Without it we are poorer, less happy and subject to often seemingly arbitrary intervention from the fussbuckets and worrywarts that fill the ranks of public authorities
Perhaps Canada and the UK should try something like this:
Government shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
My simple retort to those supporting the restrictions "for our own good" is to note that in my own lifetime we had homosexual sex criminalised, women required to leave the public service once married and unable to get a passport or bank account, no-fault divorce unavailable, there existing no offence of rape in marriage, and so on - all "for our own good".
Historically governments are not very good at deciding what is good for people. People are better judges of it themselves.
Perhaps Canada and the UK should try something like this:
Government shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
My simple retort to those supporting the restrictions "for our own good" is to note that in my own lifetime we had homosexual sex criminalised, women required to leave the public service once married and unable to get a passport or bank account, no-fault divorce unavailable, there existing no offence of rape in marriage, and so on - all "for our own good".
Historically governments are not very good at deciding what is good for people. People are better judges of it themselves.