If there were no laws and every individual was free to conduct themselves as they see fit, the world would be in utter shambles. Laws (although not always just/morally right and sometimes biased) exist to protect the majority and those who are vulnerable. Every person has a different experience growing up and every person was raised with a different moral standard. What some see as an evil act (such as murder, theft or assault), others may see as totally acceptable and even justified. If everyone was left to their own devices, without fear of repercussion, it would leave the most vulnerable people in our society without protection and without the framework for legal recourse. The law is meant to act as a deterrent to anti-social and harmful behaviour.

A behaviour that is currently illegal in Canada that I feel should be legal is defending oneself from attack using non-lethal weapons (e.g. pepper spray and mace). I believe that these non-lethal options should be legal because it could save lives. Many perpetrators are emboldened by the fact that they know that these weapons are illegal, thus, it is unlikely that their would-be victims will be carrying these items. I know several women who have been attacked by men and were simply over powered and assaulted. Being legally allowed to carry and deploy this non-lethal method of self-defense may allow victims to protect themselves and provide much needed chance to escape. Canada (and Toronto specifically) has been getting more dangerous by the year, with random attacks occurring much more frequently. I think that it is unfair to punish people who simply fear for their safety and wish to protect themselves against attackers.