Is the Victoria city bylaw, used to prevent homeless camping in city parks, unconstitutional?

"Hi" PD..*S* ........man talk about being between a rock and a hard place inasmuch as it's two different factions trying to live their lives.....namely those with homes and the homeless.

Here's the article btw and I first saw it on the news...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/20...

To quote the judge...."a sleeping bag or blanket isn't enough to protect people from the elements when sleeping outside in Victoria or anywhere on the West Coast."

The ruling also says that sleeping in a tent or under another structure is not a public safety issue but rather a basic human dignity.

I agree with the judge actually and yes I realize it opens a can of worms so to speak for the rest of civilized society ( in other municipalities ) like me with nicely mowed lawns and parks nearby but I still can't help but side with the unfortunates in this world !

In some cases , and I say some , their plight was not self inflicted as is the case with some others.

******Perhaps this will open avenues to some decent accomodation for those individuals and needed to be brought to the forefront , heck we look after everyone else in this great big world !******

Is it unconstititional for a Canadian city let alone a Capital City to callously allow the poor to suffer outside unprotected ...."yes" and furthur to take away their only home within their means ..."yes" , I certainly think so !

Thats just my opinion and I am sure you'll get more....an excellent question btw and worth a star !

Thanks for the chance of allowing me to "pontificate" ! lol..*S* (Michael C)

A judge passed a motion last week permitting homeless people to set up their camps in city parks between 9 PM and 7 AM so they headed down to Victoria's premier park (Beacon Hill) and set up their camp. There are plenty of other parks, fields etc to set up camp in so why pick Beacon Hill unless some of these folks want to be seen by the media. Now the City is challenging the judge's ruling and I really don't blame them, for doing so. Some of these encampments are a breeding ground from drug abuse etc as well, some of the homeless folks are mentally challenged and don't mind where they relieve themselves (in public). Homeless is a major problem on the coast due to the mild weather and homeless folks from across Canada come out here during the winter months. The problem is much broader than a tent encampment and needs to be addressed permanently.

I don't think that is is "unconstitutional " but it is a dangerous precedent to allow to stand in law.

The Judge is saying that a city has no right to control what happens on it's property...... I don't agree with that opinion, at all.

This decision attacks the most basic foundation of our society, the notion that public property is owned by the public, in this case a city park, and that the city has a right to say how that property can or cannot be used.

The Judge is wrong.

Jim B. Toronto.,

I'm South of the Border and the problem is worse here. Canada has far more social services for their citizens than we in the U.S. do. I'm a socialist and think we need to open the public buildings so no one sleeps in the cold.

We need water fountains and public bathrooms on every public block. We need them for all our citizens.