Tent_City_Lawsuit

At 9 am on Friday, October 31, 2008 Victoria Police arrested 4 people with no fixed address who had erected a tent in Centennial Square outside City Hall. Nobody resisted arrest and they were all issued $100 tickets for erecting a temporary structure without a permit. They will likely be charged with obstructing justice, however in the past such charges have been dropped and court proceeding cancelled. Only one of those arrested was released after signing a promise to appear in court while the other three remain in jail awaiting bail hearings. On October 15, 2008 Justice Ross, of the BC Supreme Court, ruled that the "bylaw enforcement policy" was unconstitutional. The Victoria bylaw prevented the homeless from constructing temporary structures. The issue this revolves around is that more than 1500 homeless people have been counted in recent surveys but only 171 shelter beds are available. This recent ruling upholds the right of the remaining homeless people to fend for themselves by protecting themselves from the elements with temporary shelters. This has been an ongoing legal case for several years which has seen the establishment of several tent cities which were subsequently removed by Victoria City Police with many arrests, dropping of charges, and legal hoops. Lawyers Irene Faulkner and Catherine Boies-Parker, represented the campers/homeless people in the recent B.C. Supreme Court case that struck down the city's anti-camping by-laws. Despite the court ruling the City of Victoria continues to restricting the homeless from sleeping outside between the hours 7 am and 9 pm. If you have any information which might be helpful to this on going court case please contact lawyers Catherine Boies Parker and Irene Faulkner at: (250)380-2788 E-mail: ifaulkner@ufbplaw.ca FOR BACKGROUND REGARDING THE 2005 Tent Cities including videos, photos, and text goto: http://www.loveandfearlessness.com/tentcity.html