Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Michael Bryant Charged

When Michael Bryant resigned in May, my blog post was as follows:

With Terminator in theatres this weekend, I think it's apt to quote the Governator - He'll be back.


Given this is really a human tragedy, more so than a political story, there's not much I can really say here. Except that, obviously enough, I was wrong.

posted by calgarygrit at 11:48 p.m.

12 Comments:

  • If Michael Bryant was a pitbull…

    by Kelly on September 2, 2009

    It’s certainly very distressing to read about the news that former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant has been charged with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

    In cases like this, all the public can do is wait for witnesses to come forward, details to unfold and the truth to emerge. These are serious charges. Fortunately for Michael Bryant, he’s not a pitbull.

    Granted, I know that he wouldn’t want to be a pitbull. Obviously, anyone who worked so tirelessly to have pitbull type dogs banned from Ontario – and indeed who once referred to them as ticking time bombs certainly wouldn’t want to be one. I’m just saying that it’s fortunate for Michael Bryant that he’s not.

    Because, if Michael Bryant was a pitbull in Ontario, most likely by now he’d be on death row, not released from jail within a matter of hours on “unspecified conditions on his own recognizance”…whatever that means.

    If Michael Bryant was a pitbull in Ontario, he’d not only still be locked up in a cage – by now he’d almost certainly be scheduled for sterilization. After all, public safety might be in jeopardy as a result of any tiny pitbull-ish puppies that he might father. To avoid producing future menaces to society, I’m afraid the big snip would be pretty much inevitable.

    If Michael Bryant was a pitbull in Ontario, all of his family members and, well, pretty much anyone who even looked substantially like him might have to be arrested – or at the very least muzzled in public. It goes without saying that no pitbull could ever be allowed to drive a car again. Realistically, if one pitbull hurts someone with a car, presumably others will follow. No need for trivial details like the commission of a crime; the legislation Bryant worked so hard to enact is based on a premise that bans work more efficiently and serve as a convenient means of meting out convictions and sentences before actual crimes even take place.

    If Michael Bryant was a pitbull in Ontario, the chances of him receiving unbiased, fair media coverage would be, shall we say, unlikely. Such minor details as fairness, impartiality and fact-checking don’t really come into play if a pitbull type dog is accused of causing anyone harm. If Bryant was a spaniel, the media might cut him some slack and wait for supportable facts. But a pitbull type dog? He’d be a media pariah.

    And finally, if Michael Bryant was a pitbull in Ontario, he’d be living in a province where pitbulls don’t have a history of killing residents – but raging, out-of-control motorists do. I certainly don’t face angry pitbulls every day. But pissed off motorists riding my bumper, cutting me off and otherwise threatening my safety? Well that’s just all a part of my daily commute.

    All we can do now is sit back and wait for the truth to unfold. In one sense, at least, Michael Bryant is lucky. The Ontario justice system will give him precisely what he took away from thousands of dogs: a fair shake, the benefit of the doubt and a good shot at proving his innocence.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:38 p.m.  

  • oh Anonymous, you card.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:44 p.m.  

  • To crazy anon - you are right. We need to give pets the benefit of the doubt, and only move against them after they cause harm to others. You have inspired me to acquire a pet tiger, which I plan to take for walks on a regular basis.

    Pit-bulls, like tigers, are violent because it is their nature. Centuries of selective breeding have ensured that this is the case. They are a species designed for bull-baiting and bear-fighting (one that, along with rotweillers, accounts for about 60-80% of dog attacks despite making up only a small percentage of the animal population).

    It is criminally negligent to "give the benefit of the doubt" to something that is murderous by nature. If you had a flesh-eating disease you wouldn't say "well the disease hasn't killed me yet, so I'll give the bacteria a chance to live."

    Of course this is particularly true when we are talking about animals, which have no rights, and which cannot have rights since they are incapable of understanding either rights or responsibilities (regardless of how human they seem to their owners).

    Most humans are not violent by nature and can restrain themselves. Humans are of less risk to each other than are pitbulls. Moreover, humans have rights, so even if we were going to euthanize dangerous people, the benefit would be outweighed by the harm. That said there are people we restrain who have done nothing wrong, with a mind to public safety, so even with humans there is a breaking point.

    In other words, where you see hypocrisy, I see a perfectly clear and consistent system. One that rightfully euthanizes pitbulls, and one that is about to metaphorically euthanize Michael Bryant.

    By Blogger french wedding cat, at 5:15 p.m.  

  • We'll have to wait and see how the facts unfold on this one but Bryant may not be in as bad a predicament as it first appeared. This Sheppard fellow had been in police custody earlier in the evening and looked like he was acting like a total loony tune. If Bryant thought he was in some danger, it would explain his actions.

    By Anonymous jarrid, at 5:48 p.m.  

  • looked like he was acting like a total loony tune

    Right on -- death to all the total loony tunes!

    And not by injection or hanging, but by driving into oncoming traffic in a major thoroughfare and smashing them into several objects before finally crushing them, and scooting back to the hotel to call 911 in privacy.

    Look, the cyclist had some anger problems... but Bryant doesn't?

    Tackling someone's car after they leave you unsatisfied after a collision and drive off is no excuse for murder.

    Bryant would prosecute anyone else for a much higher sentence than he is going to receive, that's for sure.

    Maybe his Liberal gov't could have transferred some city powers to Toronto so we could build some real bike lanes.

    By Anonymous Jason Bo Green, at 6:51 p.m.  

  • You were right about the Terminator part, though.

    By Anonymous Jason Bo Green, at 7:09 p.m.  

  • Michael Bryant the fearless amateur boxer to is not afraid of a fight. This is how he was portrayed when banning such dogs as the staffordshire bull terrier.( Called the nanny dog over in England for its love of people and children) Now he will probably say how frightened he was so he had to use his car as a weapon oh excuse me to escape because he was so afraid of a drunk on a bicycle. He runs over the person then drives away. NO special treatment but he is arrested in a t shirt and walks out of the holding cell with a nice suit? The other day a drunk driver was sentenced to 10 years for causing a death. About the same time another was sentenced to 4 years. Both terrible crimes with no conscious intent to harm. Mr Bryant knows how to defend himself and knows the law. He deliberately used his car as a weapon with disregard for the safety of the courier and should not receive the special treatment everyone knows that he will. There are different consequences for those with political pull who can afford the best lawyers. At least this time there will be a judge and jury examining what he says and comparing this to the facts.This will not bet like playing politics with the Liberals Michael.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:47 a.m.  

  • Obnoxious bicyclists - squeegee guys - freaked out motorists This is what city living is - the everyday grist sitcom writers twist into laughter - but I can't remember a Seinfeld episode ending in waves of warm laughter rolling over applause as Jerry's Saab drags some guy to his death. Let's try and separate the issues.

    It comes down to the moment when the situation went from everyday aggravation event we've all encountered like - who bumped who - who yelled at who – your mother wears combat boots..... No matter who did what or said what - we've all had these situations and the moment is suppose to end with some yelling and a paint scratch - a court appearance and fine for either Michael Bryant or D'Arcy Sheppard. Between that moment and the ambulance arrival is where it gets big. There are hundreds of people including officials on the phone right now trying to steer the outcome. Who are these people and how will their interference affect the outcome.

    By Blogger mada, at 1:18 p.m.  

  • Hoser?
    People killed in Ontario over a FIFTY year period by:
    Alleged Pit Bull Type Dogs = 1
    Michael Bryant = 1
    I can PROVE my statement. Here are the Canadian stats for Dog Fatalities in Canada since 1960.
    http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/fda_canada_l.pdf
    Guess you didn't see the CITY TV interview (that is now NOT allowed to be broadcast due to copywrite issues).
    Bryant is caught lying so many times. Bryant was quoting stats on Calgary that the reporter ACTUALLY had and when lied, kept on coming back with the truth. 4 times later he had to acknowledge her FACTS. She nailed him on where he had gotten HIS information He said; from “A” animal control officer. Note A.
    Said he could pick out a "pit bull" from 50 yards away. He then didn’t! CAUGHT ON TAPE !
    He TOTALLY disregarded Calgary’s success & copied Winnipeg's dismal failure. Wouldn't let the most successful animal by-law officer in North America, Bill Bruce, speak at the debates!
    http://www.defendingdog.com/id38.html
    Bryant also refused Cesar Milan. Instead brought Tom Skelton from the states. A dog warden who has Petitions against him demanding he be FIRED.
    TIGER? READ THIS.
    http://thetruthaboutbsl.blogspot.com/
    IF these dogs are ALL dangerous they would be responsible for MORE deaths in Ontario than Bryant is. Hundreds & hundreds of thousands more of THEM over 50 years in Ontario.
    Bryant caters to the uninformed & gullible. I believe him "a inherently dangerous ticking time bomb".
    He legislated discrimination and profiling. If everyone, were to really THINK about it, and instead of pit bull put in the words black, Hispanic, Muslim, Jew,they would NOT be proud.
    REVERSE ONUS now law. This is a VERY scary thing for Ontario citizens. This PRECEDENT can be used elsewhere eventually.
    Every owner of short haired medium sized dogs, without papers, are being make out to be criminals and turned into 2nd class citizens. GUILTY and most prove INNOCENCE?. Does not matter how gentle, well trained, friendly or obedient a dog is. ALL LABELLED dangerous? READ the "SS" part of Bill 132. Any person can say that a neighbour's short haired medium dog WITHOUT PAPERS is a PIT BULL and the owner MUST PROVE it is not.
    FYI there are 26 fully registered breeds of dogs commonly confused with pit bull type dogs (especially in INITIAL media reporting). THAT does not include ALL the mixes.
    All over Ontario responsible dog owners are being made to pay for the FEW irresponsible ones. Do YOU realize how many court cases there are and have been from GOOD citizens trying to save their family pets? However THESE are very rarely reported in the media.
    Bryant legacy is shameful and will be proven to be so. Eventually the WITCH HUNT will be shown for what it is. In the meantime THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of innocent puppies and family dogs are and have been destroyed in this Dog Forsaken Province. Those people that worked so hard against Civic Rights are now shown to the be bigots they were and this LAW will also be shown eventfully to be the NIGHTMARE it truly is.
    Netherlands removed their ban after 25 years of DOCUMENTED evidence banning pit bulls did NOT work. Italy who was UP to 93 banned and/or restricted dogs and JUST removed their ban after documenting BSL FOR 25 YEARS . THESE places NOW look to do what Bill Bruce(the MAN Bryant turned down at the debates) put into law. They don't KILL dogs based on LOOKS, they hold OWNERS accountable. NOW Bad owners pay the price, the tens and tens of thousands of RESPONSIBLE dog owners don't.
    READ the DEBATES. Cyclists are not the only thing that Bryant has rammed over the years.
    I am happy Bryant got DEMOTED from being A-G. Took Bryant TWO years to rise in the Liberals. I believe it took two more years to quietly, nicely, politely and discretely push him out the door.
    Dalton and Party patting themselves on back.
    "READ between the lies" HOSER.

    By Blogger Fran, at 5:54 p.m.  

  • MORE PROOF Hoser!

    Calgary's SUCCESS
    Calgary’s EXCELLENT Dog Owners Liability Act:
    http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/cityclerks/23m2006.pdf

    Calgary WINS GOLD Award
    http://www.21stcenturycares.org/orcalgary.htm

    Model for Successful Dog Control from Calgary
    http://btoellner.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/09/calgary-provide.html

    Netherland removes Pit Bull Ban
    http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080609/ap/d916m6uo2.html

    Italy scrapes Dangerous Dog Black list
    http://www.lifeinitaly.com/node/4229


    Reports done on biased media reporting from 2006 to 2009.
    http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/pitbullpaparazzi-2008.pdf

    2007/8
    http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/paparazzincrc.pdf

    2006
    http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/media-bias-2006.pdf

    Tom Skelton/Dogsbite.
    http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2009/01/toledo-newspaper-article-insanity.html
    http://sandusky.injuryboard.com/miscellaneous/ohio-dog-bite-attorneys-extend-congratulations-to-lucas-county-dog-warden-tom-skeldon-as-he-is-named-dog-warden-of-the-year.aspx?googleid=253710
    http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2009/02/pressure-mounting-in-toledo.html


    Exposing dogsbites.org
    http://rdows.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/exposing-dogsbiteorg/


    NOW quit being a HOSER and speak with SOME knowledge and intelligence.

    By Blogger Fran, at 6:14 p.m.  

  • Read the link below.

    http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2009/09/16/when-worlds-collide/?cm_mmc=BicyclingNL-_-2009_09_25-_-blog-_-roadrights

    By Blogger Unknown, at 10:17 a.m.  

  • Finally a fair and responsible article on what happened the night Mr. Sheppard was killed.

    Anyone that has watched the video of the "incident" can see Mr. Bryant's car move up and then "rush" up to ram the back of Mr. Sheppards bike.

    Since when do VICTIMS of a "incident" get a toxicology test done and the DRIVER of the car does not? Does that make sense to anyone?

    I believe (if one reads between the lies) Mr. Bryant was slowly and nicely usered OUT the door of the Liberal party. His demotion from the Attorney General's office and then various other unsuccessful portfolio's that followed, could have caused him stress.

    Who is to say that Bryant was not on some kind of medication due to the change of status in his career?

    I find it appauling that Bryant was not tested but the Victim was.

    By Blogger Fran, at 11:52 a.m.  

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