When governments impose rules that are absurd or disproportionate, they risk undermining respect for rules that do make sense. People stop listening. And when no one takes fire bans seriously, the entire effort to prevent fires can backfire.
This isn’t just poor policy, it may also be illegal.
Access to Crown land in Canada is a regulated right. Provinces can impose restrictions, but that power must be exercised reasonably, lawfully, and for the purposes intended by the legislation. Administrative law requires that discretion be justified, transparent, and rational.
The Forests Act permits travel restrictions into specific zones. But a province-wide ban on all forest access, including activities that carry no real risk, is likely beyond what the law allows. And it may violate constitutional rights, including liberty under section 7 of the Charter, and potentially Aboriginal and treaty rights under section 35.
There’s even a government tip line encouraging people to report suspected forest walkers. Sound familiar? It should. This kind of “snitch culture” dominated the COVID-19 era, when we were told to report neighbors for hosting family dinners. Once again, safety is being weaponized to justify authoritarianism.
This ideology is sometimes called safetyism. It elevates protection from harm above all else, even at the cost of freedom, dignity, and common sense.
Safetyism is what allows governments to lock people out of public spaces, close schools, crush small businesses, and trample civil liberties, so long as the claim it is “for your own good.”
The real tragedy here is how many people are defending these measures. Some say, “Well, if people go for a walk, they might also light a fire or smoke a cigarette.” That’s like saying people shouldn’t drive because they might run someone over. You don’t ban walking. You ban the dangerous behavior.
When governments treat everything as dangerous, everything becomes subject to control. But when safety becomes an excuse for state overreach, everyone loses.
Christine Van Geyn is a Canadian lawyer and bestselling author. She is the host of the national broadcast television program Canadian Justice, a YouTuber, Podcaster, and professional speaker.
