letters

Osgoode Hall, in downtown Toronto, is home to the Law Society of Ontario and the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Re “In Canada, householders must use ‘reasonable force’ against an intruder. That’s perfectly reasonable” and “Break into my home at your own risk” (Opinion, Aug. 27): Gary Mason’s absolutism in favour of self-defence in one’s home sounds empowering, but it trades law for licence – and once you do that, you’re not freer, you’re at the mercy of whomever shouts loudest, be it Doug Ford, Pierre Poilievre, or your neighbour with a grudge. Andrew Coyne is right: Legal restraint is not weakness, it’s the very rational shield that ensures justice for all. Without it, self-defence becomes vigilante chaos.

Verdict: Mr. Mason’s rhetoric fails. Mr. Coyne’s realism holds.

Tony

See Full Page