The Death Sentence for Ontario Barbers

[Badgister]

Just like their capital's mayor, I think Ontario legislators must also be smoking crack.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...ques-1.2326264

[Phrank]

Just like their capital's mayor, I think Ontario legislators must also be smoking crack.

Ontario barbers forced to learn women's styling techniques - Ottawa - CBC News

Yes, this is ridiculous...this morning on the news, I heard that they are potentially backing off this a bit, afterall, it's just another tax grab, barbers learning to dye women's hair and women's stylists learning to give shaves....yes, they must have been hanging out with the Mayor.

But this is typical of this provincial government, flush a couple of billions dollars down the pipe and come after the little guy to pay it off....

[DarthLord]

I'm sure there's a huge political point to be scored here, but watching my fellow 'Mericans clamoring for government to step in and regulate our big, scary businesses in precisely this manner has made me lose faith in the cause of freedom. No one wants freedom, except as a talking point or when their irrational fears make them feel their lifestyle choices are in danger of being sanctioned.
I no longer have a libertarian bone in my body; I care nothing for freedom, only my own empowerment. I don't care what laws people create or live by, only how they are applied to me. I plan to take over the world so I set the laws and give everyone all the comforting regulation they could ask for -- while remaining aloof from its constraints, myself.

[JimmyHAD]

In the 1980s, in New Jersey (USA) the state government did the same thing, but with a grandfather clause. A very good friend was a pro barber with his own shop. He had offered an apprenticeship to me which would have entailed my buying an apprentice license from the state, working under his tutelage for 3 years IIRC. At that point I would have attained journeyman status.

Once the law was passed it changed everything. Similar to the law in Quebec, I would have had to go to beautician's school for the requisite amount of hours, and paid the big $ to do so. Reminds me of Ronald Reagen's quip, something like ' the worst thing you can hear is 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

[RezDog]

It is funny how the government likes to "fix" thing that aren't broken.

[BobH]

I can certainly see regulating trades to try and eliminate unqualified fly be nighters operating and bilking people. OTH they have to be sensible about this and not lump specialists in together. There should be a separate barbering certificate for those who only cut men's hair, a hairdresser certificate for those who only do women's hair and another for hair stylists who do both.

Bob

[10Pups]

I like that barber a lot.." I am going to court, I AM NOT paying a fine and I am not going to stop."

[AirColorado]

Smells like a big kickback to the politician for forcing millions in new tuition - uh, students their way. Hey it's entrepreneurial thinking! Of course it's also technically Marxism as well but I'm sure that'll get lost in the shuffle. I though Canuks were a laid-back sort - basically my kind of folks. I may have to re-think all that.

[ChrisL]

You guys are missing the point. Somewhere there is a woman or there are women that have been forced to walk by the local barbershop in their neighborhood only to be able to gaze in the window with the sorrow of knowing that she's being denied the right to have HER hair cut the way she wants it from whomever she chooses. She's had to seek counseling it's emotionally scarred her to such a degree and in fact it's discriminatory.

The rot that's pervading our society is this: government should be there to do whatever is possible to alleviate people from any hardship, any frustration, any inequality, any unfairness, any judgement, any opposing viewpoint or opinion, any inconvenience etc. AND....if one is subject to the frustrations, challenges, consequences of living life and the consequences of one's actions and choices, someone else should be held accountable.

Chris L

[Magpie]

As a licensed massage therapist in NY, I had to go to school and put in the required hours of training. When I first enrolled it was 6000 dollars. (just 5 months earlier it would have been 5000) By the time I graduated they cost was up to 8000 for new enrollment. The requirements have gone from 750 hours of anatomy, physiology and pathology on up to I believe 1400 hours of training. Most of these new hours of training are just variations and derivatives of the original training. Now they have a special class for "sports massage" which is ridiculous, because if you know your anatomy, and have half a brain, you can formulate your own treatment plan based on whichever sport is involved. And WHO makes up the rules regarding all these requirements? The state board of education, division of massage therapy. And who sits on this board? You guessed it, the OWNERS of the massage school! I call SCAM!