Regular readers will recall the name Wallace Gilby Craig mentioned in a column of about 18 months ago. Wally Craig is a retired British Columbia provincial court judge who brooked no nonsense when dealing with those who violated the laws of the land. Judge Craig meted out justice as it was intended to be meted out - simple and pure in the extreme and not cluttered up with a lot of gobbledygook that seems to the norm for many of today's judges. Judge Craig listened to the evidence, pondered the situation, considered the accused's circumstances and rendered his decision that was consistent with the charge and in keeping with the law - law as it was written and intended to be applied and not, as is often the case today, of pandering to the pleading of self-interest groups whose only purpose appears [to me at least] to be to circumvent the law and at the same time introduce a sob story to explain away the rogue's behaviour. In other words, Wally Craig cut through the nonsense that the accused or his/her representative presented. Far too often, it seems, persons charged with an offence offer up all manner of stories in an attempt to explain why they are not to be held responsible for their behaviour. The term 'If you do the crime, do the time' seems rather apt and ought to be the base line upon which judges consider meting out justice. Society has been weakened by the culmination of years of whining, snivelling, crying or outright lamenting by those who appear before a judge and plead innocence because of some real or imagined event in their past. For example, society seems to have accepted the plea that because the charged person was, as a child, forced to wear a certain style of clothing or was required to do menial housework or had a bad experience with a school mate that that explains and excuses them from responsibility for their misdeeds. To that silliness, I write NONSENSE!
[It is recognised here that Canada's laws are, for the most part, well written and that if judges applied them as the legislators wrote them, then much of what Canada is experiencing would not occur. The fault lies with the application of the laws and 'reading into them' or attempting to interpret the original thoughts of the legislators. This can cause misreads and tends to weaken the system.]
Now, back to Judge Wally Craig.
Recently the learned judge and I met for lunch. At that time, Wally Craig brought me up to speed on his recent endeavours. In addition to his book - Short Pants to Striped Trousers - the life and times of a judge on Skid Road Vancouver [ISBN 0-9733929-0-8] -Wally Craig writes a column for a local newspaper. As can be imagined, his topics cover crimes committed and the punishment - or the lack of same - handed out by his former peers. Not always do the sitting judges err on the side of silliness [those are my words, not Judge Craig's] but they do often enough that many in society are beginning to kick up their heels in protest.
Judge Craig is meticulous in his writing and cuts through the bafflegab that often passes for journalism in today's standards. He calls it as he sees it and he sees it as it ought to be seen. At a later time, Wally Craig will collate his columns into a book form. The columns follow one after the other and continue a common theme so that in book form, they will make interesting reading. At the moment, a publication date has not been determined; however, when Judge Craig's columns are published, I will certainly obtain a copy and pass on its name to readers.
A recent Craig column highlighted a book written by an English author - David Fraser - who "portrays his country as a land fit for criminals." [Quote from Wally's column.] Judge Craig picked up on the theme and saw that it was equally applicable to Canada. In Craig's words, "In this and succeeding columns, I will compare our moribund criminal justice system with the English disaster and argue that Canada, too, is a land fit for criminals. No longer 'A True North strong and free' that so courageously stood alongside the English in their time of peril, we have become a chattering nation burdened with a spineless criminal justice system."
Wow! Succinct words that cut through the crap and lay it out front and centre for all to read; but, will those who read, understand. And if they do understand, will they do anything to correct the "moribund criminal system" so that Canadians can live in peace to enjoy their neighbourhoods without constant fear of a crazed doped-up nutcase running amok and shooting up the area.
Where is the outrage that ought to be expressed strongly by Canadians?
Where is the sense of justice that at one time was the norm for "The True North Strong and Free?"
From my perspective, the 'turning point' [if I might be excused for using a sports term] in Canada came in the mid-to-late 1960s when this country turned from sensibility to socialism in the extreme. At that time, common sense gave way to liberalism and the idea that one was not responsible for one's actions. The then-prime minister championed the idea that Canada ought to 'repatriate' its constitution and take back from the United Kingdom the right to determine Canada's destiny as expressed through the constitution and its Charter of Rights and Freedoms [expressed here as the Charter of Rights and Wrongs]. From that point onward, the country entered the land of slippery slopes and ever-downward spiralling toward self-destruction. In my opinion, total self-destruction is not many years away.
What Wally Craig fights against through his book, columns and appearances, is to correct the wrong that has been foisted on Canada by a self-serving ex-prime minister and his toady, spineless government - and successive spineless governments.
Bob Orrick is a retired private tutor of English grammar, literature, poetry and Canadian history to off-shore youngsters. His pupils hail from such places as Taiwan, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and Venezuela. He was previously in international marketing, was a ministerial assistant to a provincial cabinet minister, spent a few years as a reporter then editor of a community newspaper and enjoyed a career in the Royal Canadian Navy.
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