OP-ED: Lockdowns coming back?

Nova Scotia’s Hiking Ban and the Erosion of Freedom

By Alexander Brown

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Nova Scotia’s jaw-dropping ban on hiking, camping, and fishing in provincial forests, with fines up to $25,000 for anyone daring to step into the woods (which other Atlantic Canadian provinces have since followed) cuts to the heart of a troubling modern trend: government overreach again dressed up as ‘public safety.’

This isn’t just about fire prevention. If it was, fire bans would be sufficient. It’s about control, and reeks of the same paternalistic instincts we endured during the COVID-19 era.

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The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF), a staunch defender of constitutional rights, has sounded the alarm, sending a letter to Premier Tim Houston and Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton, urging them to reconsider this draconian measure. As the CCF’s Josh Dehaas rightfully pointed out, hiking poses “virtually no threat of starting a fire,” yet Nova Scotians face crippling penalties for enjoying their own forests - even on private land.

The CCF’s petition to repeal the ban has already gained traction, with thousands of signatures in just a matter of days, reflecting widespread concern over this heavy-handed policy.

‘Conservative’ Premier Houston defends the ban as a necessary response to dry conditions and wildfire risks, citing “expert advice” and past fire seasons, like 2023’s devastating blazes.

Supporters of the blanket bans, like Liberal Senator Rodger Cuzner, argue it’s a prudent precaution, bizarrely equating a cigarette he witnessed left in a fire pit with the need to keep hikers, joggers, and fishers away from the woods.

Conservative talking head Fred DeLorey expands on that well-worn mask and mandate analogy from the COVID years, comparing the ban to those who first took issue with seatbelt legislation. But this analogy falls apart when you consider the scale: a blanket ban on forest access, including low-risk activities like walking, is less a seatbelt than a straightjacket.

Critics of the draconian restrictions rightly see this as a continuation of the “safetyism” that plagued the COVID era. Remember Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decree that golfing was dangerous because players might “have some pops with their buddies”? That same paternalistic streak now bans Nova Scotians from the outdoors, a vital lifeline for mental and physical health, especially amid rising unemployment and economic strain.

As educator and commenter Kelden Formosa noted on X, Canada’s abundant lands are held in trust for the people, not for politicians to arbitrarily lock away or hand over to certain groups.

This isn’t conservatism -- it’s a brand of liberal authoritarianism, cloaked in concern.

And the hypocrisy is glaring. While government clamps down on hikers, the courts in Ontario are conjuring a “constitutional right” to bike lanes.

Meanwhile, in British Columbia, land rights are being divvied up behind closed doors, with non-Indigenous residents increasingly sidelined.

Yet the ruling class draws a hard line at keeping people out of the woods? The disconnect is staggering.

The mainstream narrative often ignores or misrepresents opposition, framing dissenters as reckless. While fire prevention of course matters - and nobody is calling for campfires in dry forests - blanket bans on even entering wooded areas infringes on Charter rights to mobility and liberty.

Given that nearly all Nova Scotia wildfires are human-caused (sorry, climate change), the province argues prevention is critical. But as Dehaas and others argue, targeting specific risks - like smoking, campfires, or improper vehicle use - would suffice without punishing everyone.

This debate isn’t just about hiking; it’s about who gets to define “essential” in our lives. When governments wield safety as a weapon, any action, for any period of time, can be justified. And it’s not as if a life of meaning can possibly be insulated from risk.

The Nova Scotia ban, like COVID-era lockdowns, threatens to normalize overreach. If we let this slide, could these bans become a seasonal staple in place of better emergency services, better forestry management? Where do we then draw the line?

Concerns are mounting in opposition, and where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The flames of unthinking authoritarianism have returned, and they’re burning closer than we think.

Alexander Brown is the Director of Communications & Campaigns for the National Citizens Coalition (NCC). Ever week, Brown hosts ‘Not “Sorry’” exclusively on Juno News. This column is based on his most recent episode.

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