1) I had no idea Canadian towns required fire permits; my commiserations. British ones don’t.

2) The PRS thing is different – Tim’s referring to the fact that pubs in England that have live music performances require their alcohol license to also cover entertainment (which involves ticking a different box when you apply for your alcohol license).

3) The point about tort law isn’t that the government is blameless – it’s that the rules haven’t changed since whatever time Tim thinks the British were free and everyone else was enslaved.

Johnb… So glad you saw a bonfire on Saturday without a permit. You offer no proof of such a thing…. but of course we believe you. Anonymous posters on the internet would never lie to prove a point.

It may even be true where you live. Timmy lives elsewhere apparently!! So who am I to judge.

I live in a town that requires a fire permit. It’s $10 – cheap!! for a whole year!!! Until you read the fine print….

I can have a fire IF:

It is less than 30cm in diametre.

If the wind is less than 6 kms per hour.

If it is located less than 15 metres from a fence, outbuilding, the house or other structures.

Basically… according to these rules…. I can’t have a frickin’ fire.

Now luckily my neighbours and I are sensible sorts… and we do as we damn well please… using a bit of common sense so lacking in legislators these days. But the permit itself… is a perfect example of what Timmy was trying to prove.

I won’t comment on the wine and beerhouse act of 1869 – except that modern copywright laws might… just MIGHT… maybe… have some sort of affect on it depending on what your definition of folk music might be. Of course… if your idea of a awesome Saturday night is heading out to the pub and hearing a rousing rendition of “ring around the rosey” is your idea of a good time…. then I’m really.. really.. sorry.

Of course sports clubs and game clubs and organizations…. restaraunts… business of all sorts need to obey the health and safety clipboard weilders! The same ones that will shut you down for mouse droppings in the cellar willl fine you at home for using a bit of weed killer!!!

Or so it is in Canada at least.

But who is at fault here… those that make claims under the law? Sorry Johnb… Nope.

IT IS THE LAW AND THE LAWMAKERS at fault. If tort reform is needed… then blame the goverment for not doing it – not those who take advantage of whatever loopholes exist.

Freedom is being usurped… slowly. Even damn fast sometimes. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men (and women! yay! me!) to do nothing.

Yes it can. I saw one on Saturday; it was completely legal, and featured no permission or checklist from anyone.

For two to sing folk songs in a pub requires a licence.

As it always has (well, since the Wine & Beerhouse Act 1869).

A sports club must obey ’elf’n’safety clipboard wielders

…due to the expansion in claims under tort law, not government regulation.

no one but those approved, licensed, checked, granted permission by the State may do anything.

…drastically fails to follow from your previous assertion.