City of Victoria bylaw would put lives of marginalized people at risk
Last Updated (Saturday, 27 June 2009 04:31) Written by TASC Saturday, 27 June 2009 02:53
Victoria, Coast Salish Territories, June 10, 2009 - The City of Victoria has continued it's attempts to thwart a Supreme Court decision that reaffirms the rights of homeless to erect overnight shelters. The decision in question is that of Judge Ross, which specified that the Victoria bylaws that prevent people who are forced to sleep outside from erecting their own shelters constitutes a deprivation of the rights to life, liberty and security protected under section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Right and Freedoms. Today in court the lawyer for the city argued "there are no constitutional rights for the homeless to erect tents inside city parks". Tomorrow the court will here from the lawyers representing the rights of the homless.