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Ever wonder what the difference is between paying a fine and actually being convicted of an offence? For a clue, watch Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s desperate battle to ensure Montreal construction giant SNC-Lavalin only does the former and isn’t subject to the latter.

Being convicted of bribery allegations would prevent the firm from bidding on federal contracts for a decade, a move that would make a few billion dollars in agreed-upon fines — but with no logging of an actual offence — mere chicken feed in comparison.

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But you don’t have to delve into the seedy world of federal politics and Quebec big business to find such an example. Instead, simply take a hard look at traffic cameras in Calgary.

Both the police and city hall love those ubiquitous speed cameras erected all over our city or lodged in roving vans, parked at suitable fishing holes to nab as many speeders as possible.

And anyone who believes the guff that this is all about safety on our roadways must be one of those gullible souls who believe our prime minister would fight just as hard for Alberta jobs as he seems to be doing for those in Quebec these days.