Criminal Code of Canada s.269.1

An anonymous commenter left a comment claiming that my interpretation of the Criminal Code of Canada s.269.1 ("Torture") is somehow incorrect. I 'moderated' the comment into the garbage, but it still calls for a quick response.

I've examined this aspect of the taser issue in some detail in this blog and also in the right hand column. I thought that it was already perfectly clear. But perhaps some don't have the attention span to follow the complete argument.

Let's make it extremely simple:

If using a taser, in Touch Torture mode, to apply severe pain to force (verb) a subject to comply with police orders is legal and ethical, then what distinguishes this from using the glowing end of a lit cigarette to accomplish the same degree of forced compliance?

Answer: there is nothing to distinguish the two. Both are severe pain and both can leave burn marks. They are both "Torture" and are both clearly illegal under the Criminal Code of Canada s.269.1.

The fact that the implementation of this Criminal Code section hasn't legally 'caught-up' with tasers (yet) is just an indication of the glacial pace of the legal system.

Conclusion: Using the taser in Touch Torture mode to force (verb) compliance is a clear cut violation of the Criminal Code of Canada s.269.1.

If tasers are allowed to be used to force (verb) compliance, then so are lit cigarettes.

There is nothing complicated about this argument. I apologize if this simple logic shatters your belief system about the operation of law enforcement in Canada.