Orb Sign

In the background sits a decommissioned generating station.

Generating Station

The decommissioned station.

This is a new, operational generating station, which sits beside the decommissioned station.

ON CIVIL LIBERTIES

...AND THEN Civille Liberties disappeared.

Who knew taking photos of "generating stations" was illegal? I didn't. Do now.

Or is it?

According to my curt introduction to the law, it states that it is illegal for any person to photograph a decommissioned or operative "generating station". Apparently I was in contravention of the law when I went for a much needed bicycle ride in East End Toronto.

[Hearn Generating Station] happens to lie between my place and Cherry Beach. It's on the way. It's not as if I was searching the place out.

While taking photos of a decommissioned generating station, I thought I heard the words, "Hey, no taking pictures!" It was said in such a way as to preclude doubt about the speaker's intention to inflict violence if the opinion was disputed.

Really though, I couldn't believe that those were the words I heard - in anger or otherwise.

And yet, when the voice shouted "Hey!" again, there was no question as to his anger. I saw a pot-bellied bearded man in the distance, by a trailer. Up came his crony, who had a long way to walk - I was that far away from them. He had to walk through hulking debris apparently from the decommissioned station.

And a fenced off area containing canisters. Of what? I don't know.

I had my camera put away long before the lackey was in front of me. He questioned me.

He had on cool sunglasses, befitting someone who wanted to appear tough. Also his hat was on backwards, there was a bandanna, and a studded wristband, of all things. Ironically, he looked like a Sandanista, but really he was just a Fashionista. I appreciated the effort, and I was even somewhat convinced. But the wristband really pushed the whole look over the edge.

But there it was.

"Hey, didn't you hear him?" He meant the bearded fat guy, who I would have to admit, I was afraid of. This guy, however, even with the wristband, didn't scare me. The "state of the nation" was the scariest thought that crossed my mind. I thought: "Surely it's not illegal to take photos on a beautiful day, while on public property, of public (?) property."

But it is.

I explained I was just taking down information. I.e., taking photos of their sign advertising OrbSecurityInc.com. Which I was. I asked him if he was with Orb Security, as though I'd been looking for them ... him.

"You see the badge," he said. Not as a question.

Yes, this was Orb Security. I was a little cowed.

"Whaddaya doing?" he said. Like he had any right to ask. That was when I said I was "taking down your information."

He mentioned the law about taking photos of generating stations. Since there was the law, I couldn't really say I wasn't in contravention of it. I was. It was obvious. So the letter of it - yes, guilty as charged. But not the spirit. I understood the spirit, which was my advantage in this situation.

I told him I had no idea. Of course I know "ignorance of the law does not mitigating circumstances make." I asked him when the law had been enacted. He said since September 11. I asked, "Right since that day?"

He said, "Oh no, about a month later."

"Oh," I said. And thought, How full of shit do you have to be before you stop stinking?

He had his arms crossed. There might have been a tattoo. Likely was.

I reiterated, "Oh well, I had know idea."

He tried the logic on me: "Can't have people taking pictures of entrance and exit points."

"Ah, the lay of the land," I said. "No, can't have that."

He told me to "take care" - and off I went.