Freedoms in a crisis

Royal 22nd Regiment soldier stands guard on a bridge in Montreal following the implementation of the War Measures Act, Oct. 16, 1970 (photo courtesy Canadian Press).
Royal 22nd Regiment soldier stands guard on a bridge in Montreal following the implementation of the War Measures Act, Oct. 16, 1970 (photo courtesy Canadian Press).

The other night, I sent a couple of dozen of my journalism students out into the night. They had to go to one of the municipalities where the public was voting for mayors, councillors and/or aldermen. Their job was to get the perspective of the loser and the reaction of the winner in their chosen ward for the record. The reaction I got from one or two members of my class of practising reporters amazed me.

“Why is it so important to do this?” one student asked.

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