89-year-old veteran stands up for convictions in court. Time to raise a glass, mateys!

I know you won't believe this, so I am providing a link below as proof.

Her name is Audrey Tobias. This 89-year-old veteran of WWII is an active member of Veterans Against Nuclear Arms. She refused to file her 2011 census in protest because she claimed it is processed using software from Lockheed Martin, an arms manufacturer.

Even though about 98 percent of Canadians filed their forms, Audrey did not and received a couple of visits from government types who decided to lay charges against her under the Statistics Act that carries a penalty of 3 months in jail. I could not find where anyone has ever been charged before under this Act, ever.

Audrey said that if found guilty she would not pay a fine because it would be a way of admitting she was guilty.

Her day in court was today. Well thanks to her activism, all Canadians know something we didn't know before.

The Crown argued this morning that Tobias had no lawful excuse for her refusal, which led to the charge against her under the Statistics Act.

Outside the courtroom after the ruling, Tobias thanked the judge for his decision and said her first thought was "goodness gracious" when the ruling came down.

“I would have done whatever was necessary,” she said. “Under no circumstances would I have paid a fine, which was a way of saying I was guilty.”

In making her defence before the court, Tobias had argued that forcing her to complete the census would have violated her freedoms of conscience and free expression.

People in the courtroom heard the judge blast the Crown for choosing to bring this kind of case to his court.

Un-bloody-lievable that a respected veteran would acquire a police record suddenly at 89 for such a stupid charge. The judge thought the Crown was acting unwisely and foolishly in choosing to prosecute this particular case. He acquitted Audrey and found her "Not Guilty."

Well I never thought I would find a new hero in this day and age, but I'll happily raise a glass to the continued health and spunkiness of this lady.
Well done, Audrey Tobias!

www.cbc.ca...

I saw this, this morning on the news. How does a 90 y/o know that the software used is from lockeed martin? That's pretty good I'd say.

reply to post by aboutface


I have been following this over the last week or so and I was hoping it would pan out like this. I am glad she stuck to her guns and the judge noticed the obvious ridiculousness of these charges.

I am glad to see that at least some battles to maintain freedom and liberty are being won...Well at least in Canada anyways.

reply to post by FlySolo

She's been an anti-nuclear activist and her association would know these things too. I think she is amazing. No cognitive dysfunction in her brain.

reply to post by MDDoxs


Just imagine the government PR nightmare if she had been found guilty. Stupidity abounds in some decision-makers.

Not only do I raise a glass

I doff my hat, and bow in deference.

The kids have a lot to learn from people like this, thanks for posting it.

You just made my day

Cody

That's the spirit Ms Tobias (using her surname reference is a sign of respect, since I do not know her personally, I should not use her first name). I am humbled by your willingness to stand your ground, against an unfair and unjust system. How many of us here would say the same, and back it up by following through to the end, unwavering in our convictions.

I do believe this is a story worth repeating and spreading to all of us here.

reply to post by aboutface

Good to see justice in action, and the reporting of it.
To note, there's at least one more who has been fighting it in court for a few years now... also an anti-nuke: Sandra Finley. Her case is just now on its way to the Supreme Court of Canada.
I love the freedom fighters. sandrafinley.ca...

4) A rational person who has only this Objective Summary for input, will be misled.

The Law as applied by Statistics Canada and the Justice Department does not provide for partial completion of the form. I had lengthy and on-going conversations with Statistics Canada about the dilemma with the 2006 census, starting two years (early 2004) in advance. They did not offer any option in choosing which questions to answer. It is all or nothing. Beginning in 2008 the consistent and repeated threat to me was to answer the questions and if not, face prosecution, a fine of up to $500 AND/or 3 months in jail.

The fact that there is no option – all or nothing – - is at the very least, equally pertinent to the statement “refused to fill in and return any of the long form census form”.

The Objective Summary presents and repeats one selected fact which significantly biases the Summary.

Sandra

Another site that explains even more about old LMartin and the census:
Count Me Out of the Canadian Census

reply to post by ItsEvolutionBaby


Thanks so much for your contribution to the thread and for this additional information. I had not heard about this, so am going to look it up now.

reply to post by aboutface

You're welcome - only too happy to. Only reason I know is because it received a little media coverage a few years back, locally. (Saskatchewan) I've noticed her name around since, always with activism. She may still be a Green Party candidate, too.
Her reasoning included questioning why a US firm was employed to monitor Canadians in the first place, and of course their making of weapons, and on, and on. I think she may have spent some time in jail a few years back with it, but its hard to find proper info on it now.
Imagine that.
Applause for all the ones who take a stand - I hope as well that the kids especially, are paying attention.

i am sure they do the british census as well i remember seeing that on the tv last year .

way to go old girl