Expendable in life and death

December 15, 2008
STEVEN SPENCER, Globe and Mail

Toronto -- If I had observed Robert Dziekanski acting abnormally in the Vancouver airport, and if I had blasted him five times with a taser, then leaned on his neck with my knee, after which he died, and if this had happened in front of witnesses, including one who had videotaped the event, does anyone in Canada believe that the Crown would have declined to prosecute me owing to "insufficient evidence" (Airport Death Not Caused By Tasers, B.C. Says - Dec. 13)?

Something evil is happening in this country, and it has a name: police impunity. What this decision means is that every unprofessional or rogue police officer in Canada will feel justified in doing what he pleases with a stun gun, knowing that he will never be held accountable.

I mourn for Mr. Dziekanski, who died a needless death, and I mourn for his mother, who lost her son for utterly no good reason, and I mourn for my country, which appears to be transforming itself incrementally into a police state.