You don't speak for us

Editor:

We take exception to the stand taken by the Owen Sound city council to endorse the City of Chatham's request to the federal government to change the Criminal Code of Canada to outlaw toplessness.

On the basis of a 35-name petition and several letters (approximately 0.2 per cent of the population), the city feels it has a mandate to ask the government to amend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

It is this charter that was the basis for the law being overturned when Gwen Jacobs first challenged it several years ago. To ask for the amendment of this law now is asking the government to restrict the rights of all Canadians, male and female.

The last time we looked, this was still a free country, (although it is getting harder to tell all the time), and we must guard against even the smallest infringement of our rights in order to keep it that way.

As Owen Sounders, we would like to go on record as saying that we do not want city council to endorse this request, and we're sure that at least 36 other people would agree with us.

David and Hayley Mundy

Owen Sound