A NOVEL APPROACH TO JURISPRUDENCE

I HAVE seen no better indictment of the stupidity of zero-tolerance
approaches to drugs than your story about a teenager being suspended for
drugs on the say-so of a dog's nose ("Teen smelled guilty," March 28), but
with no drugs being found. A canine jury pronouncing guilt is certainly a
novel approach to jurisprudence, but will it really stand up to a Charter
challenge? I can think of no better way to teach teenagers contempt for the
law than such obviously arbitrary and unjust actions. Welcome to the 21st
century, kids, and repeat after me: you are guilty until proven innocent,
you are guilty until proven innocent ...

Chris Donald

Dartmouth, N.S.

(Bizarre)