“Safetyism,” like censorship, cancel culture, lawfare, and numerous other maladies, is one of our era’s curses. Indeed, many Canadians and others in the Western democratic world generally seem all too willing to trade personal freedom for state-sanctioned “protection” and rule by “experts”.
Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservative government, headed by Premier Tim Houston, along with Liberal provincial governments in New Brunswick and Newfoundland, led by premiers Susan Holt and John Hogan, respectively, are subscribing to this playbook by banning people from entering the woods. Nova Scotians will be fined $25,000 for hiking.
Unfortunately, Nova Scotia’s summer (and much of Canada’s) has been hot and dry, so it is appropriate to ban fires in our forests. Those who cause fires in the woods, whether through ignorance or malice, ought to be nailed with hefty fines and jail time. Malicious intent must absolutely definitely merit years in prison. After all, if Canada can throw peaceful protesters in jail, it seems only fair that arsonists should meet the same fate.
It is nevertheless draconian in the extreme to impose $25,000 fines for hiking and set up snitch lines to report “offenders.” Instead, governments in my native Nova Scotia and elsewhere should stress that the forest fire index is high, which means severe consequences for anyone who starts a fire in the woods. Folks should be reminded that there are downed trees that are uprooted and rotten and are now dry tinder — many in Nova Scotia that are courtesy of Hurricane Fiona, which struck much of the province in September 2022. It must also be stressed that first responders might not be able to reach those hiking, fishing, and camping in the woods if fire breaks out. Bottom line: Let people enter the forests at their own risk, with all of the information needed to make informed choices. Many will doubtless be deterred.
On a concluding note, do not impose $25,000 fines for hiking, fishing, or camping in the woods, and for that matter, do not set up East German Stasi-type snitch lines. What manner of government fines people for walking in the woods, and then encourages others to rat them out? Worse, what kind of person feels good about himself, and believes he is performing a civic duty, by reporting someone for hiking? The answer is all too easy. It is the same person who, during COVID, snitched on his neighbors for hosting Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties. It is the same type who enjoys inflicting hardships upon others — making others more miserable than they otherwise would be.