Thursday 30 October 2014

Should teenagers go trick-or-treating?

With Halloween only around the corner, the age old question comes up in daily conversation between kids around the globe: "Are you going trick-or-treating this year?". And although the answer is almost always yes in people under the age of thirteen, the question becomes more and more disregarded as they move up in the years. Being sixteen years old, the question that I've been asking and that I've heard been asked more and more is: "Will we even be allowed to go trick-or-treating this year?". All across North America, adults have been starting to actually turn away teenagers that have just been trying to spend their October 31st evening going around door-to-door rather than going to the parties. They'd rather have fun by getting candy rather than getting drunk and I find that it's disgusting that people turn them away. I feel as if anyone under the age of 19, which in Canada is the legal age for adulthood, should be able to freely go trick-or-treating. I feel as if it is unfair and immature that some adults within the community would turn them away.

My thoughts on Bill C-44


                    Earlier this week, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (which is Canada's spy agency) had it's powers beefed up in a recent bill  tabled by Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney. Bill C-44, dubbed the protection of Canada from terrorists act, brings clarity to the CSIS act while protecting individual rights. CSIS now has the right to more powers of surveillance of Canadian citizens to investigate for terrorists attacks, this includes all-access to Canadian phone lines and private information. They are now also able to travel abroad and work within or outside of Canada and they are also expected to give "greater protection" to confidential sources without having to identify them in court proceedings, even to the judge.
                   I feel as if the government has passed this bill in an attempt to take terrorism towards Canada seriously and I respect them for doing so. I realize that people won't be searched unless it's necessary and therefore I don't understand why people get so uncomfortable about it. CSIS won't call your house to tell your mom that you didn't do your homework and that they know that because that's what you told your best friend when you called them after school. If you have nothing to hide, legally, then you should have nothing to worry about.

Tuesday 28 October 2014