Rex Non Potest Peccare

English translation: The King can do no wrong

What a wonderful way to clean up corruption at the highest levels of state (if you are the state…) Simply make it impossible for the public to have any legal recourse against a Minister or high-up official of a department. No matter what they do while in office or in the employ of the public, the public can never form a legal complaint against them.

Corruption? Malfeasance of Public Office? Gross Negligence or violations of the Public Administration Act?

Not any more, according to a legal system recognizing Rex non potest peccare. If it ain’t proven in court, it ain’t real yet, right? Corruption problem solved, chalk one up to the Government, good job everyone, high five.

Now you say, hey, Rod Rouge (and I love the name, btw…), Canada did away with Rex non potest peccare a long time ago. You, or I, or we together can file claims in court naming Ministers and high level public servants (if we have the resources to do so…). We expect the full protection of the law, and this is old, old news.

Well, let me tell you of rumors about the new news, Manitoba. And listen carefully, ok?

We hear that the Governing party in office for 12 years with a majority (like kings and queens in terms of power in Provincial terms) might like to bring back Rex non potest peccare. They may have tried, on numerous occasions since 2005, to introduce legislation with clauses that would, in effect, put the Kings and Queens of Manitoba above the bothersome legal recourse afforded to us wee keystone peons.

That’s what we hear out there in chit-chat land.

We’ll be digging further into this, of course. We will see if bona fide draft text of legislation is available to prove not just one, but apparent multiple attempts to draft legislation with such kingly privileges exist. We’ll be looking through Hansard, yadda yadda. You know the routine.

We’ll also be seeing about the rumors that the Liberals insisted on the removal of such tripe, again and again, keeping us at least somewhat safer from the shenanigans of the ruling party. No mean feat if they did, given that they don’t even have a research staff budget with which to keep us a little bit safer a night.

Suppose we’ll also see if the PC’s, with their big research budget and hell-bent-for-justice swagger, did anything to help. Ever. Of course, if they did, we shall duly report it as such.

‘Oh, but Rod Rouge, that was maybe a few years ago? How can that matter now?'

You are kidding, right?

Hey, Blue Rod (yes, big guy, I’m talking to you), any info. available on this topic? Did you folks get all tough on crime at the top? Did you keep us safe from the kings and queens in the orange suits?

(Or were ya’ll too busy rubbing your hands together and group-thinking about when you take absolute power, how cool would that clause be…. Umm… sorry, I shouldn’t make personal predictions like that, should I. Let’s see what the records say, and start off on the right foot. Sorry, Blue Rod. My bad. I’ll do better.)

Comment away, folks. Hit us with facts on the subject.

This ain’t no one-rod act at Rod Rouge, and many hands make lighter work.