REGULATION OVERLOAD

Is it just me, or does it seem like the various levels of government are regulating life more and more? Comox was debating whether or not to ban clotheslines because of 'visual pollution'. Some staff were suggesting even banning automatic clothes dryers because they 'pollute too much'. You can read about those here. Courtenay is preparing to spend $17 million for water metering because we apparently use too much water. Courtenay is set to ban every backyard fire on the grounds that it pollutes your neighbour's air. What's next? Banning the BBQ because the smell goes into my neighbours airspace? The carbon tax is coming into effect to tax us into greenness (allegedly). The money will be going into general revenue, so it is unlikely that there will be much change. There's a provincial law coming into effect that says you will need to have a car seat for your child up to age 9! (subject to weight and height issues). BC is also preparing to ban smoking in a car if you have a child in it. Will they soon be regulating whether or not you can feed your children at McDonalds because the fat and grease make them susceptible to heart disease?

More and more the state is creeping into the private affairs of citizens, all under the guise that 'they know better.'

Now many of these issues need to be addressed. However, instead of bringing out the stick of regulation all the time, perhaps they could invest in education and positive incentives to encourage change OR here's a radical thought - stay out of people's private personal lives? I have thoughts on many of these political issues and will be talking about them over the next while.