So, as I'm killing two hours sitting in traffic court yesterday, I reflected on the lovely building I was in. Toronto's Old City Hall. Gorgeous bit of Romanesque Revival architecture, begun in 1889 and opened in 1899 (in this part of the new world, that's real old, friends.) and serving as Toronto's seat until New City Hall was opened in '65.
I also recalled that Toronto's own pro-rockers RUSH photographed their 'Moving Pictures' album cover outside here. Hmm....that'd make a good thread title, thought I: 'The Rush to Judgment'. Oh...that's clever. Rush...the fact that I'm sitting here waiting to be judged. Nice. I'll do it.
This morning I sit down to start the thread and look up the requisite picture, and I find out that the photo in question was actually created about two miles up the road at the Ontario Provincial Legislature Building. Not Old City Hall at all. So there's that shot to hell.
Anyhoo...a couple of observations: our courts are clogged, to the point where simple traffic offenses are taking over a year to come to trial. Mine took 13 months. Of the 60 cases I witnessed in two hours, easily 55 of them were either pled down to a lesser charge for a lesser fine (between the Crown attorney and the accused) or a request that it be held over until another day for some reason or other. These were all matters of routine, and surely a JP or otherwise thoughtful individual could handle so that judges could be available for actual 'trials'.
The rest were put off due to lack of requested interpreter, etc. Not one actual contested trial of 60.
The crown attorney twice took me out into the hall to plead me down : the first offer was a reduction of fine from $180 and three points on my license to $75 and three points. I refused. The second offer (an hour later) was for $60 and no points. SOLD!
(Oh, I ran a yellow light turning left that I really shouldn't have. My bad.)
I also recalled that Toronto's own pro-rockers RUSH photographed their 'Moving Pictures' album cover outside here. Hmm....that'd make a good thread title, thought I: 'The Rush to Judgment'. Oh...that's clever. Rush...the fact that I'm sitting here waiting to be judged. Nice. I'll do it.
This morning I sit down to start the thread and look up the requisite picture, and I find out that the photo in question was actually created about two miles up the road at the Ontario Provincial Legislature Building. Not Old City Hall at all. So there's that shot to hell.
Anyhoo...a couple of observations: our courts are clogged, to the point where simple traffic offenses are taking over a year to come to trial. Mine took 13 months. Of the 60 cases I witnessed in two hours, easily 55 of them were either pled down to a lesser charge for a lesser fine (between the Crown attorney and the accused) or a request that it be held over until another day for some reason or other. These were all matters of routine, and surely a JP or otherwise thoughtful individual could handle so that judges could be available for actual 'trials'.
The rest were put off due to lack of requested interpreter, etc. Not one actual contested trial of 60.
The crown attorney twice took me out into the hall to plead me down : the first offer was a reduction of fine from $180 and three points on my license to $75 and three points. I refused. The second offer (an hour later) was for $60 and no points. SOLD!
(Oh, I ran a yellow light turning left that I really shouldn't have. My bad.)
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