# About Covid Fines



## R.S.Fraser Sr. (Aug 15, 2009)

Every day we hear about Covid fines being levied.

Have you or someone you know been Covid-fined?
Are they going to pay it, or fight it?

Does non-payment result in jail time?

It seems the courts could be busy soon.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

In Alberta, they are not criminal, but a violation of (whatever the name of the health code). I don't know if by default that means you can be jailed for non-payment, but here they have threatened that you won't be able to renew your driver's license without paying the fine first, so I doubt it. 

Have to be careful with the distinction between small level individual stuff, and larger 'organized the rally/rodeo/protest that was against the rules', the penalties are stiffer there.

People are already losing cases trying to claim loss of freedoms. Not what it is. Health depts do have the power they are using during lockdowns etc.

Expect this thread to be called political and nuked forthwith.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I had to go to the courthouse because my lawyer said there was an outstanding fine that I owed from 1992. While waiting in line (all 3 of us) I heard the girl at the counter say that they still have to do all last years court cases. Mind you this was traffic court. So if you get a ticket today chances are it will take too long for it to go to court and you may get off off on the technicality of the long wait. 

How that relates to fines for covid I'm not so sure. Being charged with a covid offense is not a criminal offense. But, any person charged with an offence has the right to be tried *within a reasonable time*”. i wonder what the unwritten amount of time is for that considering the circumstances


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Honestly I think I could count on the number of covid fines I've heard about in the news on two hands. It's not like hundreds a day. I would guess it's like 1-2 a day. Compare that to traffic tickets per day or parking.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

There was a church nearby that was making a show of defying the shutdown. Authorities locked the doors and fined quite a few of them including church elders.

It's ok though because they'll all show up at the church for help when they get Covid later, not the hospitals.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Guncho said:


> Honestly I think I could count on the number of covid fines I've heard about in the news on two hands. It's not like hundreds a day. I would guess it's like 1-2 a day. Compare that to traffic tickets per day or parking.


I would have said the same. And I don’t know anyone who has been fined. But this news article says 100’s per week!...


Over 1,000 charges laid by Toronto police in past 3 weeks due to large gatherings
Toronto police officers have responded to at least 1,000 calls of people gathering indoors and outdoors in the past three weeks, as the provincewide stay-at-home order is still in effect.

Over 1,000 charges laid by Toronto police in past 3 weeks due to large gatherings


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Just because you didn't read about doesn't mean it didn't happen. I'm sure there are bigger stories than Joe down the block had a party and got busted.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

knight_yyz said:


> Just because you didn't read about doesn't mean it didn't happen. I'm sure there are bigger stories than Joe down the block had a party and got busted.


Absolutely. I could be wrong. Just saying what I've heard.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I got a warning; they said they’d pull my witness protection here and send me back to Texas.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Fines are one of those tricky price-point things like "sin taxes". The amount has to be big enough to deter the unwanted behaviour. At the same time, they can't be so stiff that the courts get cluttered with people fighting them, or require administrative staff to chase after people for payment. They also can't deprive a person of the ability to earn a lawful income and pay the fine.

Part of the difficulty with setting the optimal price-point is that the undesirability of various behaviours can vary over time and circumstances. We expect restrictions on where we can park to remain in place for the forseeable future. A modest parking ticket may lead one to never park in a certain area ever again, or perhaps to make a finer point of checking the signage. What is the appropriate fine for entering a public building without a mask, during a period when many folks are stressed financially? Are the circumstances in which that behaviour needs to be curtailed likely to be commonplace, in the same manner that, say, school zones will always require you to cut your speed? Should fines be set in order to "make an example" of someone?


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Wardo said:


> I got a warning; they said they’d pull my witness protection here and send me back to Texas.


Maybe if you were from new york, eh?!


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

And they said they'd want the 3rd Gen TransAm back as well; Jimmy Hoffa got a better, deal they gave him a 2nd Gen Camaro.


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## BadHiwatt (May 9, 2017)

I hope that people who are recklessly endangering others suffer STIFF fines.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

In BC you have, I think, 30 days to dispute the fine. If you don’t dispute it it goes to collections. Collections is tied to motor vehicles. You can’t renew your driver’s license or vehicle license until the fine is paid. Not sure what the process is if you dispute it. Probably court.


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## Stephenlouis (Jun 24, 2019)

Kerry Brown said:


> In BC you have, I think, 30 days to dispute the fine. If you don’t dispute it it goes to collections. Collections is tied to motor vehicles. You can’t renew your driver’s license or vehicle license until the fine is paid. Not sure what the process is if you dispute it. Probably court.


Last paragraph.








Violation tickets for unsafe COVID-19 behaviour


By order of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), people and businesses can be issued a violation ticket for non-compliance.



www2.gov.bc.ca


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

mhammer said:


> Fines are one of those tricky price-point things like "sin taxes". The amount has to be big enough to deter the unwanted behaviour. At the same time, they can't be so stiff that the courts get cluttered with people fighting them, or require administrative staff to chase after people for payment. They also can't deprive a person of the ability to earn a lawful income and pay the fine.
> 
> Part of the difficulty with setting the optimal price-point is that the undesirability of various behaviours can vary over time and circumstances. We expect restrictions on where we can park to remain in place for the forseeable future. A modest parking ticket may lead one to never park in a certain area ever again, or perhaps to make a finer point of checking the signage. What is the appropriate fine for entering a public building without a mask, during a period when many folks are stressed financially? Are the circumstances in which that behaviour needs to be curtailed likely to be commonplace, in the same manner that, say, school zones will always require you to cut your speed? Should fines be set in order to "make an example" of someone?


Spoken like a true bureaucrat.


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Five nights ago in Arlington Texas they had over 73,000 show up for the Canelo/Saunders super middleweight title fight. Meanwhile in Canada people are locked down and pondering new ways to punish their fellow citizens.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

R.S.Fraser Sr. said:


> Every day we hear about Covid fines being levied.
> 
> Have you or someone you know been Covid-fined?
> Are they going to pay it, or fight it?





keto said:


> Expect this thread to be called political and nuked forthwith.


It is kind of funny that somebody would 'just drop by' out of the blue after 3 months to post a political thread in the non-politics area.

Is there a memo going round that the 'open mic' is the new 'political pundit' or something? Seems like there's a big push on from both sides to move it on up here.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Almost any verbal/written interaction between a group of people can have an element of political discourse depending where one draws the line. I don’t see this thread as political but then that’s just my subjective view of it.

However, if I ask the question “is this thread political” then should that be enough to have it moved to the political forum?


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Wardo said:


> Almost any verbal/written interaction between a group of people can have an element of political discourse depending where one draws the line. I don’t see this thread as political but then that’s just my subjective view of it.
> 
> However, if I ask the question “is this thread political” then should that be enough to have it moved to the political forum?


Sounds like me trying to explain to my girlfriend, exactly where I got the crabs.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

.. lmao


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Wardo said:


> Almost any verbal/written interaction between a group of people can have an element of political discourse depending where one draws the line. I don’t see this thread as political but then that’s just my subjective view of it.
> 
> However, if I ask the question “is this thread political” then should that be enough to have it moved to the political forum?


Actually no, but all the pandemic threads inevitably attract, well, you know.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Wardo said:


> Almost any verbal/written interaction between a group of people can have an element of political discourse depending where one draws the line. I don’t see this thread as political but then that’s just my subjective view of it.
> 
> However, if I ask the question “is this thread political” then should that be enough to have it moved to the political forum?


It depends. When it's a topic related to something that affects most everyone, discussion eventually turns to demands of, or challenges to, authority. And once notions of "authority" enter the picture, it gets "political", just not in the true sense of politics (i.e., workable policies that achieve shared goals), but in the pop culture sense of political (i.e., MY side/, vs YOUR side/demands). Around here, and far too many other places and contexts, "politics" is ALL about blame and rarely about solutions. After all, solutions aren't *nearly* as much cathartic fun as blame. 😉


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

jb welder said:


> It is kind of funny that somebody would 'just drop by' out of the blue after 3 months to post a political thread in the non-politics area.


I see no mention of political parties. There was one reference to the difference in life styles between Canada and the U.S. , but there was no elaboration as to why.

Would it be political if this thread was concerned only with traffic fines instead of Covid fines? 

i don`t get your interpretation...sorry, I don`t see it.

It may turn political on purpose however, so the thread can get bounced into the Political Pundit where most can`t see, that is, if the conversation goes in an undesireable direction for the crowd who run the open section of the forum. The mods have to do their job after all and give the majority of the members what they want. I have no problem with this, nothings perfect, and moderation is a thankless job.


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## Fred Gifford (Sep 2, 2019)

HighNoon said:


> Five nights ago in Arlington Texas they had over 73,000 show up for the Canelo/Saunders super middleweight title fight. Meanwhile in Canada people are locked down and pondering new ways to punish their fellow citizens.


you pretty much just summed it up perfectly .


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Great, let’s see how that works out for them. I love when others beta test things for me. Then, if we have similar circumstances ie vax levels, we can think about it.

going to a boxing match is easy. The consequences of it may not be.

I wouldn’t risk a single family member so someone can go watch boxing live instead of PPV though.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

So most of us are following orders and trying very hard to get this shit show over with. Here in Quebec, we have a curfew and a lot of restrictions. I dont agree with all of them but the number of infected people is going down. If you defy the law, well you just got to pay the price. Pretty simple.


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Diablo said:


> Great, let’s see how that works out for them. I love when others beta test things for me. Then, if we have similar circumstances ie vax levels, we can think about it.
> 
> going to a boxing match is easy. The consequences of it may not be.
> 
> I wouldn’t risk a single family member so someone can go watch boxing live instead of PPV though.


Last night in Washington, 5,000 fans for the Caps/Bruins game......last night in Edmonton for the Oilers/Canucks game, 0 fans. Seems to be a pattern emerging here.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

The US has fully vaccinated far more people. We're catching up though, might be at their levels by August or Sept.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

tomee2 said:


> The US has fully vaccinated far more people. We're catching up though, might be at their levels by August or Sept.


Yes on the first part, clearly by the numbers. Yada yada Florida and Texas. Same thing, also they had far more casualties, but they’re months ahead of us in herd immunity.


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