Long Sleeves!

Wonderful!

The news yesterday was that Ottawa's first case of West Nile Virus for 2004 has been confirmed. It may be nothing to get worked up about but the dead bird was found across the street from my apartment at Mooney's Bay, Ottawa's only real beach.

That as well may not be anything to get worked up about but as far as I'm aware Mooney's Bay is the only place were the ladies enjoy one of their hard fought civil rights. That of course is going topless in public.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not one to lurk around the beach checking out the women, but doesn't this now qualify as being a restriction on people's civil rights as defined our Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

One of the key suggestions given by the government to protect ourselves from West Nile is to wear plenty of clothing including long sleeves. This naturally puts a damper on the whole 'topless at the beach' idea. Normally if a situation exists that prevents people from enjoying their rights the government jumps all over itself to institute some program to fix it. It seems to me that the government isn't doing enough to ensure women have the ability to enjoy their rights when ever and where ever they choose.

I must say I'm very disappointed in our elected representatives for not addressing this issue. Pesticides should have been sprayed in lethal doses all over Ottawa long before this outrage was allowed to happen.

Where's the government when you need it!

Note to fiancee: Don't take this little rant too seriously.