Social policy in Canada has moved from being aimed at controlling vice to reducing harm. But where is it taking us? (The Line)
Here’s a list of a few things that were illegal in Canada in my lifetime, and which are now legal: Homosexual behaviour; same sex marriage; abortion; the use of contraception; gambling on sports; growing, buying, selling, and consuming cannabis; euthanasia.
There’s an obvious consistency in the themes here. For a long time, the criminal law in Canada was used to sanction a fairly specific set of values, mostly around sexual behaviour, reproduction, and a belief in the dignity and sanctity of life itself. That is, the state was built upon a moral foundation that in turn rested on a particular vision of the good life that was implemented through the criminal code and enforced by policing units commonly referred to as vice squads.
This is no longer the case ...
CLICK HERE for the full story

Comments
Post a Comment