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Towards More Holistic Enforcement of Sex Trade Laws...

I think the laws around the sex trade in Canada are confusing and unnecessarily victimize people. Every summer, as the streets come alive with many good things, not so good things also emerge. People see sex trade workers and drug dealers. They also see the homeless and addicted. I have long argued that the only way we are going to see a long term reduction in social ills and crime is to take a long term, holistic approach.  This applies very much in the case of the street sex trade, where the "criminal" is often one of the victims. Enforcement of sex trade laws also should be accompanied with meaningful assistance to those arrested so that they can live more healthy, happy lives.

That is why I was pleased to see the Kamloops RCMP, with their recent sex trade sting, build the operation so it encompassed an offer of help to the arrested workers. They had a bit of hiccup with the media, but all in all a very good job.

I wrote a letter to the Kamloops Daily News which talks a bit about the media "hiccup". Here it is:

I write today in response to both the RCMP's recent sex trade worker sting and Mel Rothenburger's subsequent  column "Prostitution Sting Raises Important Issues".

First, I want to congratulate the RCMP, the city's crime prevention officer Mark Huhn, crown counsel, social service providers, and anyone else who had something to do with the creation of the sex trade worker diversion program.

A hard job tackling parts of a complex issue and a job well done.

Many people spoke out against last year's sex trade worker stings because the it was felt RCMP did not take a holistic approach to the issue. This year, I feel, everybody potentially wins - businesses, neighborhoods and the sex trade workers themselves.  Now, many arrested sex trade workers will have a choice - take the offer of help or have the justice system and society use more of the "stick" approach.

So, again, kudos to the RCMP and to all involved.

Second, while Mel Rothenburger makes some very valid points about the public good being always served well by media independence, I am currently questioning how it really harmed the public good to delay by a day or two what the Kamloops Daily News was going to publish anyway. Maybe, I am missing something. I share Mel's scepticism on many sex trade exiting programs, but this new diversion program is a huge positive step for our community. It's about an ethic that no longer views everyone involved in the sex trade as a throw away person - an ethic that still very much responds to concerns of businesses and neighborhoods.

By the Daily News not agreeing when the RCMP requested a publication delay (not a ban) on the sting so that they could conduct operations for one more day, did we lose an opportunity to try to help more people?

That's more of a question than a statement. And, its a a question for the whole community to ponder, not just for members of city council or the editor of the Daily News. I would be interested in hearing your views.

Council Meeting Recaps - caught up!

I apologize to the few folks who might read this site through an RSS reader. A lot of confusing activity.

I have now completed all my personal council meeting recaps for 2008 thus far. These are not an official record, but hopefully will serve as a useful summary for people and motivation to find out more if need be.

Rather than list all the recaps I have done the past week or so, better and faster to send you to the council recap category page, and then you can see all the recaps in generally chronological order.

Almost Caught Up...

...on my council meeting recaps. Should be finished writing by end of day tomorrow (Saturday) and then am going to backdate each post so that all posts are in correct chronological order. Then, will post list of all new recaps as well as point to the entire "council recap" category.

Yes!

Video Commentary: Mark Hopkins, owner North Shore Cowboy Coffee

Council Meeting May 13th 2008 - Recap

Council approved a resolution of support for Lake City Casino's application to extend the hours for liquor service at their Victoria St location. We also approved variances to reduce the lot width to allow for a subdivision of a lot on Nicolani Drive to allow for creation of split title duplex.

After hearing concerns from the neighborhood, reading a letter of support from Interior Health, and considerable discussion of the workings of septic fields, we approved a reduction of the minimum septic disposal system size to allow for the creation of 4 lots from one larger lot on Puett Ranch Road. Another issue on this proposal concerned an access road connecting into a street with a "nice family feel" - Chetwynd Drive. City staff confirmed that there will never be a normal road, only a smaller restricted road only for emergency access.

Mr Arjan Khunhun presented to council a revised proposal for development for 2941 Bank Road. His original proposal was turned down at a public hearing a few weeks ago. Mr Khunhun had revised the original proposal to limit part of his proposal to single family residential. Since the original public hearing was quite emotional and generated a great deal of neighborhood feedback, your council decided to send the revised proposal back to a public hearing for neighbor feedback again, instead of deciding on the revised proposal immediately.

Council, by a split vote, approved a public hearing for a proposal to legalize a secondary suite on Whitburn Drive in Aberdeen. A proposal to allow an automobile detailing business to locate at 919 Laval Crescent (zoned as industrial park).

Resolutions of support were approved for a recreational vehicle storage facility in a adjoining areas to city limits that is within the Thompson Nicola District. A resolution of non support was approved for the building of a religious building in another such area.

Cash in lieu of parkland dedication was received from North Core Developments for its new development on Westsyde Rd and Harrington Rd near the Dunes Golf course.

Council authorized the awarding of a contract to Urban Systems for the updating of the citywide transportation model. We approved the public transit operating agreement for 2008/09. Also approved was the awarding to Dawson Contruction of contracts to rehabilitate parts of Robson Drive and 8th Street.

Mr Rob Wilson was appointed to the Kamloops Airport Authority Society for a one year term.

Councillor Tina Lange raised the issue of providing better information, including actual numbers, on the benefits to the community of the Tournament Capital Program. I think  this is a point well taken.

The week of May 19 - 23rd is now offically proclaimed "Public Works Week" in our community, and May 25th is now officially proclaimed "Energy Efficiency Day".

Catching up on Council Meeting Recaps!

I am ten meetings behind on my council meeting recap! Not good.
So, I intend to get caught up in the next week. By Saturday, May 24th, I will have all outstanding recaps written and posted.

Concerned about Gas Prices? - My Solution...

Attending the Closure of the Sawmill...

Very sad day for a lot of former employees of the Weyerhaeuser Sawmill. I attended a "Grand Closing Ceremony". I was there to support the employees who have lost their jobs. I was not there to bash the current provincial government and actually felt truly uncomfortable when they air cannoned a picture of Kevin Krueger.

Our partisan political system is sometimes a very strange place for me to be.

I really want to stand in solidarity with workers who are going through a job loss. I hope these folks are supported to transition into comparable paying, satisfying jobs.

Trial Run: Kamloops Neighborhood Forums...

I would like, from time to time, to be able to provide neighborhood specific information to willing folks in different areas of Kamloops. A lot of community information flows onto my desk. So, if there is a property rezoning in Aberdeen, people in Aberdeen might like to know about it. If there is a crime spike in Valleyview, people in Valleyview might like to know about it. And, if there is a significant road construction road on a major road in Brock, people in Brock might like to know about it.

Rewind. Play again in every neighborhood in our community.

I don't promise the world (at first), but over time, perhaps we can get people in neighborhoods sharing news and views with each other. I have heard about statistics that show the more people in a neighborhood know each other by first name, the less crime occurs.

If you are interested in participating in a trial run, please email me or sign up on this page.

I'm going to run again....

Back in January, I vented a bit on the Broadcast Centre news about some of the trials and tribulations of being on city council.

I don't want to understate how difficult this position sometimes can be.

But it is also incredibly rewarding.  I fall more in love with Kamloops and Kamloopsians as a whole every day.

I have had the honour of representing some voices that sometimes don't get heard around decisionmaking tables. Voices that I believe should be heard.

Having said that, I also try hard to bring people together. I have not always been successful. But, I remain committed to finding common ground over sometimes very difficult issues.

I have also had the honour of working as part of a talented and dedicated team on city council and at city hall. I have often found myself, at a council meeting, in awe of one of my colleagues or of a city staffer. We agree more than we disagree. And we usually disagree pretty well.

In short, although there are sacrifices in public life, it has been the honour of my life to serve. I will respectfully again submit my name for a council seat for your consideration this November.