The murder of Sonia Varaschin is a tragedy and every law abiding citizen surely hopes that the guilty party is caught, tried, and convicted for this brutal and senseless murder. However, the Ontario Provincial Police have used a frightening tactic in an effort to solve this case. They are going door to door and asking for citizens to give voluntary DNA samples. While this may seem harmless and a worthy goal to solve a crime, it is a gross violation of the Charter of Rights and an infringement on the civil liberties of innocent citizens.
What is worse, the OPP has used intimidation tactics to get people to comply with the DNA requests.
"If you have nothing to hide, then it is your obligation to provide that DNA sample," OPP spokesman Peter Leon said.
Constable Leon is completely wrong. You, as a free citizen of Canada, have absolutely no obligation to provide a DNA sample. There is, however, a legal and moral obligation of the police to respect the Charter and the freedoms and liberties of those they purport to serve and protect.
Const. Leon went on to add: "We respect the fact that someone may wish to say no", but "each and every person who is approached has a moral obligation to participate."
The OPP needs to be reigned in from such flagrant behaviour that is directly opposed to the rights and freedoms protected by the Charter. Mr. Leon should resign along with those who support his tactics and language.
There is a legal way to obtain DNA, and that is through a warrant signed by a judge. There is a reason why DNA must be obtained this way, for the same reasons that the police may not arbitrarily search homes or private property. We are not a police state, but a nation of laws where the sovereignty of the individual is paramount.
What is worse, the OPP has used intimidation tactics to get people to comply with the DNA requests.
"If you have nothing to hide, then it is your obligation to provide that DNA sample," OPP spokesman Peter Leon said.
Constable Leon is completely wrong. You, as a free citizen of Canada, have absolutely no obligation to provide a DNA sample. There is, however, a legal and moral obligation of the police to respect the Charter and the freedoms and liberties of those they purport to serve and protect.
Const. Leon went on to add: "We respect the fact that someone may wish to say no", but "each and every person who is approached has a moral obligation to participate."
The OPP needs to be reigned in from such flagrant behaviour that is directly opposed to the rights and freedoms protected by the Charter. Mr. Leon should resign along with those who support his tactics and language.
There is a legal way to obtain DNA, and that is through a warrant signed by a judge. There is a reason why DNA must be obtained this way, for the same reasons that the police may not arbitrarily search homes or private property. We are not a police state, but a nation of laws where the sovereignty of the individual is paramount.
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