Would the Conservative Party ban Harry Potter?

For those who've seen the new Harry Potter film, you'll recall there's a scene in which a flirtatious ghost joins young Harry in the tub, nuzzling up against his naked body.

Now if I'm understanding Canada's Criminal Code correctly, any depiction of sexual activity involving a person under the age of 18 is considered to be child pornography. To distribute, exhibit or even watch is an offense for which you could spend several years in prison. Now this lady ghost can frollic in the bath with young Mr. Potter, and we can all go and enjoy without fear of spending time in the big house, because a solid case can be made for the movie being a work with artistic merit. Likewise, Canadian video stores can rent Lolita, libraries can loan Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War, book stores can sell Stephen King's IT and any teenager is free to write privately or publicly about their desires or experiences - all because the works have demonstratable merit.

But the Conservative Party, as part of their platform, feel that the 'artistic merit' defense is a gaping loophole in the law that allows untold exploitation of children and peddling of filth. Put in a position of power, they would do away with the defense entirely.

During the 2004 election, I asked my local Conservative candidate about my concerns of censorship and state-enforced morallity. "I fear that resources that should be aimed at the filth who harm and photograph actual children will be misdirected towards artists and writers who have created 'fictional' accounts of sex with minors," I wrote in an email.

"The Conservative Party position is that there is no public good in child pornography and this loophole must go. This is not state enforced morality but a deliberate choice to put the interest of our most vulnerable citizens ahead of "artists" who can surely find other more productive subjects." was the response of the candidate in question.

So everyone, get your fix of Harry Potter now while you still can. Today it's an action filled, coming of age tale; tomorrow it's filth, filth, filth.