Garry Breitkreuz, M.P.
Yorkton-Melville
News Release

For Immediate Delivery

October 30, 1998

GOVERNMENT ROUTINELY VIOLATES OUR MOST FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT

"Nothing in Canadian law prevents the arbitrary taking of property by the government."

Ottawa – Today, Garry Breitkreuz, MP re-introduced, for the third time, his Private Members Bill (C-452) to strengthen property rights in federal law. "The last two times I introduced this bill, the government only allowed one hour of debate in the House of Commons and refused to let MPs vote on it. What are they afraid of?" asked Breitkreuz. "The government continues to violate property rights – our most fundamental human right - with impunity."

Fifty years ago, on December 10, 1948, the United Nations Assembly approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 17 states: (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property. "Even though a Canadian drafted the text of this international agreement, the federal government has yet to comply with Article 17," revealed Breitkreuz.

Renowned constitutional expert Professor Peter Hogg shows how inadequate property rights protection is in Canada. Hogg, writing in the third edition of his text, Constitutional Law of Canada, said: "The omission of property rights from Section 7 [of the Charter] greatly reduces its scope. It means that section 7 affords no guarantee of compensation or even a fair procedure for the taking of property by the government. It means that section 7 affords no guarantee of fair treatment by courts, tribunals or officials with power over purely economic interests of individuals or corporations. The product is a section 7 in which liberty must be interpreted as not including property, as not including freedom of contract, and, in short, as not including economic liberty." Breitkreuz added, "The truth is that these protections do not exist in any other federal law either and that’s what my bill fixes."

"Breitkreuz is a firm believer in Ayn Rand’s statement: "The right to life is the source of all rights – and the right to property is their only implementation. Without property rights, no other rights are possible. The man who produces while others dispose of his product is a slave."

"No Canadian can be truly free while the government is using force to deprive its citizens of the fruits of their labour, denying fair and timely compensation when the government arbitrarily takes our property, and in many cases, even denying people the opportunity to appeal the government’s arbitrary decisions. My bill would fix these problems, at least as they apply to laws passed by the Federal Government." Breitkreuz concluded, "If only the government weren’t so afraid of letting Parliament fully debate my bill and then give every MP a free vote. Every constituent needs to know where their MP stands providing these minimum guarantees of this most fundamental right and freedom."

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The Office of Garry Breitkreuz, M.P.

Yorkton: (306) 782-3309
Ottawa: (613) 992-4394

 

Circulate this petition in support of Bill C-452.