Posted by Scott McWilliam on December 18, 1999 at 16:25:05:
Bill 13, what a nightmare!
It has never been legal to remove artifacts from a shipwreck in Ontario or Canada for that matter. Wrecks and their salvage are governed by the Canada Shipping Act and the Ontario Heritage Act. Bill 13 is Frankly unconstitutional and is nothing less than the largest resourse grab since incom tax. This is not about shipwreck protection it is about control and restricting your right to access. A handfull of individuals are behind the Bill and representing it and themselves as speaking for the wreck divers of Ontario. I advocate a concervation ethic in diving, it should be unlawfull for divers to remove artifacts from shipwrecks and divers should be incouraged to develope and use minimal impact diving on wreck sites but that is it, access should be open to all as it is now. Every effort, every resource, every bit of talent should be pooled to stike down this abomination of a Bill. It is difficult to come up with a brief one liner that explaines why this is such a bad idea. But for example under this bill if you were to go diving and disturb the silt on a shipwreck you would have commited a criminal code offence and be subject to one year in jail and or a $50,000.00 fine and if the police thought you had done this a situation of reverse onus occours, they could seize your boat your dive gear on the spot and if you can prove you are not guilty in trial you could have your property back. If this goes through you might want to invest heavely in Black Shirts and practice your Heil Tobbies.