A Nation of Wiretapping Hosers

Ever since the McKenzie Brothers disappeared from North American collective unconscious, Canada needs to refresh our memories every once in a while about just what weenies Great White Northeners can be.

From Canada's own Neil Hrab comes this story straight out of Ottawa:

Canada's police chiefs propose a surcharge of about 25 cents on monthly telephone and Internet bills to cover the cost of tapping into the communications of terrorists and other criminals.

The suggestion is intended to resolve a standoff between police forces and telecommunications companies over who should foot the expense of providing investigators with access to phone calls and e-mail messages.

Whole thing here. Sadly, of course, as one of the sources in the story says, taxpayers pay one way or another in the end. Perhaps it's the brazen nature of the proposal that's so unseemly.

Read about Gordon Lightfoot here, Anne Murray here, and Rush here.