CBC Article on Paying Someone to Keep Quiet about Racial Discrimination Allegation

Robyn Miller's article about someone being paid to keep quiet about alleged racial discrimination deserves comment. It infuriates me that CBC does not allow this with respect to so many important articles. 

As a retired lawyer there are sound reasons why settlements of legal proceedings usually demand silence by the person alleging a cause of action. Remember that the person is only alleging something that has not been proven to be the case. Legal proceedings are costly in time, money and other resources. People, including governments, settle legal proceedings brought against them for many reasons: often because the cost of defending the claim is not worth it. 

The person alleging some illegal treatment does not have to accept the settlement if they want their day in "court". If they think they should take the risk of proving their case. or not, because they want to go public, then they can do that.  And, on the other hand,  if money and certainty is more important to them, then they are free to accept a settlement. Don't blame the government for wanting to settle and not have to deal with continuing unproven allegations. 

The government's money is our money. And it has to cover many expenses and causes. It must be used frugally and wisely for the benefit of all.

Of Rules and Common Sense

I think people in Ontario and other provinces that have suffered long lockdowns due to Covid should be given a Nobel Prize for stamina, humour and tolerance.

As cases continue to climb here in Nova Scotia, our two week provincial lockdown is going to be extended. Our Premier has stated that more restrictions will likely be added.

It's nothing like what people elsewhere have had to put up with for a great deal longer, but I am beginning to have a sense of being trapped.

It's laughable really. Unlike many, especially in urban settings, I have a lovely garden to sit in, and a wonderful view. There are no cases where we live. And I just rode my bike across the causeway traversing the Annapolis River to the hardware store. This is a trip of less than 2 kilometers by bike and it would be at most two hundred meters if I had a boat.

However, technically, I have broken the law and could be subject to a $2,000 fine since we are not supposed to leave our "municipality".

The hardware store, which I have in my line of vision from our back room, is in Annapolis Royal. This is its own separate “municipality”. We in Granville Ferry are part of the Municipality of Annapolis County: i.e., these are two separate municipalities even though we in Granville Ferry are side by side and our "Municipality" is surrounding Annapolis Royal.

Initially it was that we were not to leave our "community", which was to be defined by "common sense". Rigid rules unfortunately overshadow common sense. Admittedly, common sense is hard to enforce.

Indeed, unless I want to travel 25 kilometers out of my way within the bounds of our Municipality, I have to pass through Annapolis Royal to get to another part of our "Municipality" just three or four kilometers away. Further, our Municipal office is actually located in Annapolis Royal, as are our dentist, pharmacist, medical clinic and Emergency Department, as well as our closest grocery stores and liquor store.

It may be that the law enforcers would exercise common sense; but sadly, typically law enforcement is not prone to such a talent.

Here endeth the rant. And it's a lovely but chilly day.