–To say that it is ridiculous doesn’t go far enough when talking about the City of Fredericton’s response to long-boarding. A public safety issue it isn’t and the apologists for power that keep writing into the CBC locally are just laughable as they try to convince us (most who drive) that long-boarders will “confuse” drivers. It is on-par with saying that cyclists (who are still trying to re-claim the streets) confuse drivers or that parked cars confuse drivers. Now, I don’t know about all the people in the city, but I am a driver and long-boarders don’t confuse me, I treat them like I would a cyclist. In fact, if anything, I am happy to slow down on city streets (Fredericton doesn’t really have busy streets most of the day) to allow for cyclists, roller-bladers, and long-boarders access. I also don’t think that the argument around “green transportation” is necessary, although it is a good one. If there are citizens of this city that want to use alternative and safe means of transportation (that also happens to be self-powered) then I think that it is a duty of the people to accommodate them. We cannot continue to criminalise what is, essentially, non-criminal behaviour.

The real issue here is that this shows, once again, that the majority of the elected representatives in the cities and in the legislature are not representing the interests of the citizenry who elect them. There were 100 people that came out to protest the illegality of long-boarding. An event that is becoming a general sight in this province as people are reacting to the regressive and anti-citizen laws that are being passed without public engagement and participation. It should be clear to council that their by-laws are opposed and the correct move would be to re-write the by-law and stop the jailing of people who are in no way a danger to public safety.

As citizens, we must continue to organise and find people and political parties that actually represent our interests as workers and citizens (and long-boarders) and make sure that they get elected. In the meantime, we must organise opposition to an increasingly authoritarian and paternalistic government which acts not in the interests of the public, but in the interests of the reactionary, business-oriented, power-elite.