Reaction to SCC Ruling

People are starting to react to yesterday's Supreme Court ruling upholding the election blackout law.

Mike Jenkinson, a Sun Media editor, notes in an editorial today: "The Supreme Court blew it yesterday, ruling against free speech and upholding an archaic law that is virtually unenforceable in our hi-tech world" and "The only thing this law will do is turn informed and techno-savvy Canadians into criminals. The Harper government should repeal this section of the Canada Elections Act immediately."

The Globe and Mail for its part says the chief effect of the ban is 'to stomp on the guarantee of free expression in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

And you can see some more of my comments in this Canwest News story.

The good news is Peter Van Loan, the Tory House leader in the Commons, has not shut the door on changing the law.

Said Van Loan, "it is open to Parliament to consider this. . . . We have the freedom to act if we decide to."

And the Tories should decide to act.

UPDATE:

Andrew Coyne has a good take on the ruling as well.