Action vs. Inaction Canada & New York

Two Lower Mainland districts are understandably alarmed that known and convicted sex offenders are now living in their neighbourhoods. What can they do? The guys have served their time, "payed their debt to society," (Don't these tired old saws ring hollow after all these empty-promises years?) and they are free to live as citizens - albeit citizens who are almost assuredly moments away from another rape and assault.

British Columbia's endlessly charming and constantly do-nothing Attorney General Wally Oppal (a man who never saw a public meeting or a store opening or a rally that he couldn't attend) shrugs his shoulders. He offers his deepest and most sincere concern to the families of the murdered and the attacked, and then heads back to office to do...what? Who knows?

This is in stark contrast to leadership in Albany where the New York state legislature is considering exactly how to deal with such dilemmas: a man is clearly a public danger and he is also a free citizen. Not an easy one, and the New York solution raises many issues. But give them credit for at least making a legitimate effort to find a reasonable response to an important community issue.

Perhaps someone could give good old, friendly old, smiling old, do-nothing shrug-the-shoulders Wally a New York paper to read from time to time.