Lottery charges are absurd
Opening door to allow police department to bend rules to further their own agendas
As an educated individual and a long time supporter of our local justice system I feel the need to voice my opinion on some current events taking place in our backyard.
The current prosecution of the local Hells Angels hang around club is unjust and is an infringement on our rights as Canadian citizens. I am very supportive of keeping the public safe and preventing serious crime, but allowing the local police department to prosecute a group of individuals based on a reputation and not based on actual criminal actions is opening the door to allowing the police department to bend rules to further their own agendas. The serious crimes that have been committed by these individuals have been gravely exaggerated by the local police and media causing the personal and professional reputations of these people to be tarnished.
The charges listed by the police are absurd and a stretch at most. Taking in money for games of chance, such as ticket draws and poker runs, with prizes awarded to the winner without being granted a lottery licence from the province? This s a basic charge that could be placed on any person who makes a bet with a friend, has a friendly game of poker on the weekend with some friends, or any other seemingly harmless activity that involves gambling that about 90 per cent of the population wouldn’t realize is illegal.
This charge would normally result in the seizing of any money earned from the event and a monetary fine to be paid by the accused. The other charges are listed as participating in activities of a criminal organization and one charge which relates to the commission of an offence for a criminal organization. Basically the two charges are saying that the first crime was committed for a criminal organization, which is assuming that the money retrieved from the bust was to contribute to criminal activities. This is why I believe that the 14-year sentence that is being proposed is absurd and quite frankly wrong for a crime that should be considered a misdemeanor. This was more than likely committed because of the lack of knowledge of the laws governing events of this manner, not out of intent to actually commit a crime.
After seeing this information I believe that the circus that has been paraded in front of the public is ridiculous, these men have had their names drug through the mud for something that shouldn’t even have made its way to the media. I feel as by allowing this to happen we are devaluing our own rights as canadians and giving consent to be treated this way by the governing forces before we have even been charged with a crime. Whatever happened to being innocent until proven guilty?
The police have the motto when it comes to dealing with the Hells Angels as to nip it in the bud before they commit a crime. Well I may speed on my way to work this morning but that doesn’t mean that an RCMP car should meet me at my driveway and hand me a ticket because I may break a law.
I am by no means a conspiracy believer, but I feel that these are just stepping stones to allowing corruption to happen within our government and that we should be voicing our opinions now before this is too late. I really doubt that I am alone in my beliefs when it comes to these matters and I hope that others will express their beliefs too. I am not saying that everyone needs to stand up and support the Angels, I’m saying everyone needs to put aside their differences and stand up for our rights as Canadians and keep our rights intact
This letter may never make it to print and if it does it may anger some people who read it, but to make change you always have to ruffle a few f eathers.