License to be Reckless
Photo Credit: Sara Curfew
“Out of control and dangerous and reckless and thoughtless scare me, because people get hurt.” ~ Taylor Swift
I was in conversation with Mister and our son and daughter-in-law when the topic of how reckless behaviour impacts others came up. Someone uttered the phrase, a license to be reckless, and it struck such a chord with me, I grabbed my phone and wrote the title in my Notes app, thinking it a great title for a book, or as it happens, a blog. In my musings today I’m exploring how reckless decisions impact the lives of others. WARNING: this week’s blog is neither inspirational nor encouraging. It’s a hard read. But sometimes we need to take off our rose coloured glasses and see what is in front of us to make choices that inform actions for change.
When using the phrase, license to be reckless, I’m talking about how people who engage in reckless behaviour justify their actions through their belief that life is hopeless, that we’re all going to hell in a hand-basket anyway, so nothing really matters. I’m also referring to people who don’t think about their choices at all. Those who are self-centred and narcissistic and who feel entitled to do whatever suits them regardless of the impact it may have on others. Whatever the reason, when human beings believe they have a license to be reckless, it scares me.
While some reckless behaviours simply result in unpleasant or uncomfortable consequences, others create irrevocable damage and devastating consequences. One example currently making headlines is the case of a fraudulent truck-driver training school in Ontario. A memo leaked to the CBC by an industry insider points to bribes, forged documents and rigged testing resulting in driver incompetence that has led to fatalities. A company issuing licenses to be reckless.
An article posted on CBC online describes a deadly collision at an intersection in the city of Brandon, Manitoba just last week. The accident was proven to have been caused by a semi-truck driver’s failure to stop at a stop sign. The company the driver worked for had its safety fitness certificate removed by the province in 2021—yet he was still driving because he was given a license by the province of Alberta. A company issuing licenses to be reckless.
On September 13, 2025, two people were killed in Winnipeg by a man who hit the cyclists while driving under the influence of alcohol. In a CBC online news story, I learned the man pleaded guilty to impaired driving. So at least he is taking responsibility for his actions. But if he hadn’t been operating with a license to be reckless, two beautiful human beings would still be with us. Two families torn apart would be whole. It has also been revealed that the man responsible was found guilty of impaired driving in 2016 when he ran his vehicle into a tree. Forensic samples showed his blood alcohol level then to be 80 mg per 100 mL, a Criminal Code offense. Yet he was driving ten years later. A justice system issuing licenses to be reckless.
According to Statistics Canada, over a ten year span 5,070 human trafficking incidents were reported by police services. Two of five of these incidents were multiple violations. The vast majority of victims (93%) were women and girls, two-thirds of whom were younger than twenty-five. Only 10% of cases resulted in a guilty charge, and of those, only 78% resulted in a custodial sentence. These people are walking amongst us, abusing the safety rights of others in order to satisfy their own sick and greedy desires. A justice system issuing licenses to be reckless.
In 2025, a twice-convicted man in Calgary, Alberta brutally killed a woman by stabbing her over eighty times, dousing her body in gasoline and lighting her on fire. In a Global News article, I learned he was found guilty of first degree murder in 2023 and before that had spent thirteen years in jail for manslaughter of a sex-worker. For this most recent crime, he was given a life sentence, but is eligible for parole in 25 years, when he will be in his mid-70’s. How can people feel safe when these are the conditions and penalties for such heinous crimes against humanity? When our justice systems continue to issue licenses to be reckless?
At times like these, I find myself yearning for a different world. I dream of an earlier time in our history, a simpler time, when communities looked after one another and there was no such thing as licenses to be reckless. I think of stories I’ve read of how First Nations people dealt with individuals in their communities who broke the laws of engagement. Offenders were excommunicated from society, denied license, and seen as ghosts. They had to forage the wilds on their own and survive or die by their own hand. Life is far too complex and our cities are far too large for such measures to be realistic options today, but surely there must be a way to hold people accountable for breaking societal rules instead of issuing licenses to be reckless?
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced that his party would pass a Three-Strikes-and-You’re-Out Law. This law would stop criminals convicted of three serious offences from getting bail, probation, parole or house arrest, and keep violent criminals behind bars longer to keep them away from their victims and off our streets. Regardless of your political leanings, I hope you agree this is a step in the right direction. Still, three strikes seems too lenient, especially when you consider the examples I’ve cited, where second and third time offences led to fatalities. Perhaps you, dear reader, has an idea that is worth spreading, for reforms in our justice systems to stop these wide-reaching acts of reckless, dangerous, and out of control behaviour? Please share your thoughts by replying in an email or making a comment on social media.
COMING UP…
Books & Projects:
· In December 2025 I signed a contract with Austin Macauley Publishers for my manuscript, The Trials of Alex Anderson, a character-driven novel that explores the relationship between mental illness and trauma. I am now on the road to publication, with an expected release date near the end of 2026. In February I worked with designers on the cover and its near completion. Last week I received the proofread manuscript for my review. Things are happening! I’ll be posting more updates here on my blog and on social media, so stay tuned for more exciting new developments.
· The Rogue Scorpion is available online at Amazon, Chapters-Indigo, and Barnes & Noble. You can also find it at select Chapters-Indigo and El Hombre de la Mancha bookstores.
Reviews & Interviews:
· You can read, listen, or watch a large selection of reviews and interviews on my website.
Events:
· There are no events currently scheduled in my calendar.
YouTube Channel:
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