On Friday, Todd Nelson from Oakville took his 3 sons rollerblading.
Todd decided the parking lot at a local community centre was a good choice to get some exercise.
Todd met a bylaw officer. Todd opened the conversation with “Who are we hurting?”. The bylaw officer replied: “You’re not going to be like that are you?”. Todd responded with “I was just asking a question.”. The bylaw officer responded with a ticket for $750.00, plus admin fees for a total of $880.00.
Don’t be a Todd.
Here’s my take on it.
- Did Todd really need to roller blade in the parking lot of a public space like a community centre?
- Did Todd really need to get his back up with an opening line with someone who is just doing their job – which, in a round about way is a job to protect all of us?
- Did Todd teach a good lesson to his kids?
Before the conspiracy theorists get on the anti-government kick and protecting their rights – there are a couple of angles to this. My take is two fold. Todd could have made life easier without the attitude and asked politely “oh, are we not supposed to here?” and his day might have been better. And, Todd should be aware of the laws in place before heading out with his family.
The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act is in place, and so is a State of Emergency in the province. Those are actual laws and orders in play to protect us and to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19.
Todd broke the rules, and got a ticket.
I’m ok with it. Mostly because it probably could have went a different way. But Todd decided to make it national news and plead his case in the court of public opinion and social media stepped up. From everything that I’ve read over the last two days, it looks like the “Throw The Book At ‘Em” team is in the lead. But not by much. That’s where the conspiracy theorists come in along with the usual government haters. First, you’re welcome to your opinion, but its hard to deny the facts, and second – don’t get too hard on the government, they’re doing a pretty good job of making sure your neighbour who was just laid off has some money in their bank account.
The best response i received today was from a listener who presented another circulating photo of our Prime Minister outside with his family and suggested that he should also be charged. Breaking news. The photo circulating of the Prime Minister and his family was taken…..wait for it…. in his backyard.
If anything, Todd’s example of poor choices did some good. It started the conversation about staying home, as we’re asked. Making sure we’re protecting ourselves and others by doing so. And, it also made an example of just how serious our governments are regarding the rules in place to protect the vulnerable and stop the spread. A pretty good investment, i’d say.
Yes, you can take your dog for a walk around the neighbourhood. Cross the street if you’re passing someone doing the same.
Yes, you can go for a bike ride. Cross the street if you’re passing someone doing the same.
Yes, you can go and grab take out. Wash your hands.
No, you cant go to public spaces. They’re closed.
No, going to grandmas house for the birthday of her 20 year old cat is not a good idea.
Etc etc. You get the idea.
Just stay home. Please.
Yes it is hard, and yes it is getting harder. But there are many many people that know a lot of things that we don’t that are giving these directions for a reason. The sad part is that too many people are not following along, and thinking what they’re doing won’t matter. It does matter. Anyone have a look at the total number of cases in the US today? Almost 600,000. Canada, 20,000. And a lot of people are dying. No, that doesn’t mean if you go rollerblading someone is going to die – but that also isn’t the point. The point is, if we stay home, stay safe and follow guidelines – other people are going to be safer, the vulnerable will be safer and we’ll eventually get out of this. The problem is that there are few too many people like Todd, that require the work of bylaw officers and law enforcement to get the point out that this is serious.
Todd might be $880.00 richer today if he chose to roller blade in his neighbourhood, and if he was kinder.
Stay home. Be kind. Take care of each other.
That’s just my two cents,
~John