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09_V1_WAT_Nov30 Th ursday, November 30, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 9Serving your community since 1856 Is Waterloo Region ready for Safe Injection Sites? � e Waterloo Regional Council will receive a report in December, and will ultimately make the � nal decision. Public health is currently holding public consultation through focus groups, but it's uncertain if there will be any broad consultation that would include neighborhoods that surround downtown cores. There is much controversy about SIS sites, in brief, SIS sites are suppose to reduce HIV rates, overdoses and increase life expectancy among drug users. However, there are concerns about crime rates increasing, public disor- der, encouragement of drug use, the atmosphere around sites, as well as the littering of needles because not all users will use the SIS sites. I'm sure every one of us know someone, or has heard of someone, who struggles with a drug addiction. I'm also certain we want them to experience freedom from this addic- tion, but is an SIS site the best solution or just the easiest? Will the location of schools even be considered when approving a site? It is my hope that Waterloo Region- al council defer any decision until there has been a broader public con- sultation process. We would do well to visit a SIS site already in existence and learn � rst hand the challenges and oppor- tunities to improve sites if they are approved by council. Cindy Watson Cambridge To our amazing cast, crew and production team for the show Did I Tell You � is Before? On behalf of the KW Silver Stars, I would just like to say a huge thank you for your support and participation in our recent show. Our fundraising efforts exceeded our wildest expectations. On Nov. 15, we made a cheque presentation to the Waterloo Welling- ton Alzheimer Society for $10,000 and received an accompanying letter of thanks from the organization. We could not have done it without all of you coming together as a team and making it possible. Heather Morris Producer for the KW Silver Stars Show Did I Tell You � is Before COMMENT WATERLOO CHRONICLEWATERLOO CHRONICLE LETTERS TO THE CHRONICLE There's something special about Christmas lights. � e � rst sight of them always gets me in the holiday spirit. One of my most vivid childhood memories is bundling up, get- ting in my mother's car and driving around the city at night looking at Christmas lights. � at's why my family was one of the � rst to check out Binge- mans' Gift of Lights, a two-kilometre drive-thru experience featur- ing over 30 light displays and a jaw-dropping light tunnel. "Last year was the first year doing it and the response was overwhelming -- it was so very well received and this year we anticipate it to be very popular again," said Bingemans' special events manager Penny Swinston, when I struck up a conversation with her this past week. "You can't miss the entrance off Bingemans Centre Drive," said Swin- ston. "When you come in from Victo- ria Street, the building right in front is the camping registration office. You go down the hill and it's so dark down there, then suddenly you're immersed in all these incredible lights." Time seemed to almost slow down as my family and I gazed at animated light displays of reindeer, sleighs, elves and, of course, Santa. � e largest drive-thru holiday light display in southwestern Ontario, I was impressed to learn it took only eight days to set it all up. "It was (president) Mark Bingeman's vision," said Swinston. "I think I've driven through probably about six times already myself, and every time I've gone through I see something di� erent I hadn't seen the previous times." My family marvelled at displays of cartwheeling teddy bears, a penguin that slides down a giant ski hill, dancing gingerbread men and a brilliant white igloo. One of our favourites, though, was a massive pirate ship that left me awestruck. "I think between the pirate ship and the tunnel, they're going to give each other a run for their money," Swinston said with a laugh. � e tunnel of lights was pure Christmas magic with its glittery, sparkly glow and what felt like millions of lights surrounding our car in the pitch-black darkness. "I think Gift of Lights is much prettier in the snow and that's when we'll get even more people coming through," said Swinston. "But even without snow, it still looks awesome." A carload of up to eight passengers can drive through Gift of Lights for $18 in advance (through bingemans.com) or $25 at the gate. On the drive home from Gift of Lights, Silver Bells, one of my all time favourite Christmas songs played on the radio: "Silver bells, silver bells, it's Christmas time in the city. Ring-a-ling, hear them sing, soon it will be Christmas Day. Strings of street lights, even stop lights …" � e experience � lled me with nostalgia for my childhood days cruising around Waterloo region looking at holiday lights, though Bingemans' Gift of Lights is far more dazzling than anything I saw as a kid. I hope my daughters will one day look back at Gift of Lights with the same kind of nostalgia. ••• Marshall Ward is a freelance writer and artist. Email is welcome at marshall_ward@hotmail.com. Freedom of speech has its limitations What is your definition of free speech? Legis-latively, freedom of expression is a "funda-mental freedom" in Canada, protected in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, within our Constitution. At a basic level, the charter serves to guar- antee certain political rights for citizens and civil rights for all, in Canada. While the Unit- ed States of America's constitution was cre- ated by her founding fathers in 1787, coming into e� ect a few years later, ours is a much more recent development, signed into law in 1982, during the time of another prime min- ister Trudeau, by Queen Elizabeth II. Section 2 of the Charter lists our funda- mental freedoms -- conscience and reli- gion; thought, belief and expression, includ- ing freedom of the press and other media of communication; peaceful assembly; and association. What we sometimes forget is that, in practical terms, there may not be equal access to these fundamental freedoms. By "in practical terms," I mean the day-to-day experience of living in Canada. I make this distinction because I do and must believe that the charter's power is in the courts, protecting the freedoms of all it is designed to protect, when push comes to shove. But, on a day-to-day basis, we would be kidding ourselves if we truly believed that each one of us has the same practical, tangible access to these freedoms. Because we don't. � e strongest voices often belong to those with privilege, which leaves a multitude of margin- alized populations at a disadvantage. Many of us think that the freedom of expression gives us the freedom to say absolutely anything we want to, publicly, on everything from politics to gender to religion to race, without regard for others or the consequences. It doesn't. Because the freedoms are not absolute. They were created with a series of checks and balances in place -- includ- ing Section 1, the limitations clause -- to ensure that we live in a "free and demo- cratic" society. The most notable application of the limitations clause is a very clear line on hate crimes. What is a hate crime? Section 718.2 of the Criminal Code provides a judge with the parameters to decide if an o� ence "was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical dis- ability, sexual orientation or any other sim- ilar factor" (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca). Consider this. Your biases and prejudices may be dif- ferent than mine. Bottom line on free speech: � e charter doesn't give you the right to harm people, based on your personally- held biases and prejudices, no matter how right you think they are. ••• Karen Scian is the co-founder of the Talent Business Solutions, an educator and a recovering city councillor. She is also chair of the Waterloo Public Library Board. You can email her at beinscian@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @karenscian. BEIN' SCIAN KAREN SCIAN � e magic of Christmas lights MARSHALL WARD MARSHALL ARTS Are we ready for safe injection sites? Letter policy Letters to the editor must contain the writer's full name, address and telephone number. Letters may be submitted by email to editorial@waterlooch- ronicle.ca KW Silver Stars come through for Alzheimers