Dear editor:

I respectfully disagree with Alexander Evans’ suggestion that in a previous letter to the editor I labelled developer Benny Marotta’s life as “frivolous.”

I also disagree with Mr. Evans’ portrayal of the Conservation Review Board and land tribunals as somehow denying Mr. Marotta his rights as a Canadian citizen, (Letter, “Town should disband its committees,” Aug. 3).

Somehow Mr. Evans seems to have misunderstood the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and equates community and government somehow with “mob rule” and that in order to end mob rule we need to vastly curtail the government’s responsibilities.

That sounds like the reasoning behind the “freedom convoy,” which held hostage the city of Ottawa essentially demanding an end to the rule of law in Canada.

In Canada we have many freedoms guaranteed by our Charter of Rights and Freedoms including: legal rights, mobility rights, Aboriginal People’s rights, right to peaceful assembly, right to vote, freedom of thought, speech and religion.

These rights come with responsibilities to: obey Canadian laws (including property law); express one’s opinions freely, while respecting the rights and freedoms of others; to participate and help those in your community; to take responsibility to protect our environment and preserve our heritage; to vote in elections and to serve on juries if called.

It would seem to me those “volunteering” their time on the municipal heritage and the urban design committees are living full lives and taking their responsibilities as citizens seriously.

The current clamouring for individual rights seems to forget that the entirety of human civilization has evolved out of our species’ ability to co-operate in communities.

When individual rights impinge on other people’s rights in favour of anarchy, we need more government not less.

Bob Bader
NOTL