I don't normally run into confrontations while taking photographs. Most of the time it's pointed at my daughter who seems mostly oblivious to it. But recently I've had to explore the rules and laws in Canada. I was looking to upload a few pictures taken of the Toronto skyline recently to a stock photography site.
Reading the site http://ambientlight.ca/laws.php made it clear that taking photos in any public space is allowed in Canada, however there are special rules governing Toronto. I had to make a few calls around to the Toronto Parks and Toronto Island before I got a straight answer. As long as I wasn't coming with a 'studio kit' or taking wedding photos, I was fine. The same photos could have been made in a boat two yards away. I actually suspect I was at the waterline - technically not private or park land, but alas it doesn't matter.
The point is, know your rights. For non-Canadians I point to http://digital-photography-school.com/im-a-photographer-not-a-terrorist-how-to-shoot-in-public-with-confidence. It was a good read regardless, for those times you're accosted by security guards and actual cops. I've heard more than a few stories of police officers forcing photographers to delete photos or confiscating cell phones in order to remove pictures of arrests and shootings.
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