Bad Legislation
All this talk of bad legislation made me take a look at what the Ontario Provincial legislature has pending. There's a few wingers like the "Stronger City of Toronto for a Stronger Ontario Act", but the one to regulate free falling gave me the giggles. Some excerpts are below, including the definition of free falling (complete with proscribed heights), the right for 'parachute police' to enter your car or premises in search of illegal parachutes, the inevitable permit (for a fee of course) and fines up to $500,000.
In Ontario, a stunt-person falling more than 7 metres (23 feet) is committing an offence.
In Ontario, a high diver falling more that 10 metres (33 feet) without a permit and a parachute is a law breaker.
I wish I was making this up.
Bill 29 2005
Permit required
2. (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall participate in freefalling unless the person holds a permit and uses a parachute that meets the prescribed requirements.
Exceptions
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who engages in freefalling if,
(a) the freefalling is from a height of not more than seven metres from the surface of the ground or whatever other distance the regulations prescribe;
(b) the freefalling is from a height of not more than 10 metres from the surface of water or whatever other distance the regulations prescribe, if the depth of the water is at least equal to the height of the freefall; or
(c) the freefalling takes place in other circumstances that are prescribed.
Identification card
13. A permittee shall, when using or preparing to use a parachute while freefalling, carry the identification card that the Registrar has issued to the permittee under this Act and, upon request, shall produce it for investigation.
Powers of investigator
(2) In an investigation under this section, an investigator may,
(a) stop, detain, enter and inspect a conveyance if the investigator has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is using it to assist in freefalling or to store a parachute used in freefalling;
(b) enter and inspect any premises in accordance with this section if the investigator has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is using it to assist in freefalling or to store a parachute used in freefalling;
Penalty
(3) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable, on conviction,
(a) to a fine of not more than $50,000, if the person is an individual; and
(b) to a fine of not more than $500,000, if the person is not an individual.
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