The City of VernonB次元官网网址檚 proposal to ban shopping carts on public lands has drawn the ire of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA).
Vernon council voted to support and expand the recommendation of its Activate Safety Task Force to ban shopping carts, indicating that B次元官网网址渄irection in regard to shopping carts will be brought back to council within the next month for consideration and endorsement.B次元官网网址�
BCCLA sent a letter to Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund and city councillors, urging them to abandon the proposal due to its B次元官网网址渇lagrant targeting of VernonB次元官网网址檚 homeless residents.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t is senseless and cruel to deprive people of access to public spaces simply because they are using a shopping cart,B次元官网网址� said BCCLA staff counsel Meghan McDermott.
B次元官网网址淲e know that Vernon shelters are at capacity, so such a measure will impair peoplesB次元官网网址� ability to make a temporary shelter when their only option is to sleep outdoors.
B次元官网网址淔or many people without a home, the use of a shopping cart provides a means to carry supplies to set up a crude form of temporary shelter.B次元官网网址�
The letter points out that the various rationales that have been provided for the new bylaw are not sufficient to justify the infringements of peopleB次元官网网址檚 rights to liberty and security of the person as enshrined in section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The full BCCLA letter can be found .
Reached over lunch Thursday, Mund said heB次元官网网址檚 read the letter and will let administration to take it to the cityB次元官网网址檚 legal counsel.
B次元官网网址淎t the same time, I do believe our administration has taken the recommendations to legal counsel to see how, if we can produce a bylaw through councilB次元官网网址檚 resolution of banning shopping carts.B次元官网网址�
Information will be brought to Vernon council for its Sept. 4 meeting.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure weB次元官网网址檒l get lots of feedback, both from legal and administration on a go-forward basis,B次元官网网址� said Mund.
An Armstrong woman started a to buy wagons for VernonB次元官网网址檚 homeless. Sarah AndersonB次元官网网址檚 goal was $1,000 to buy 15 wagons.
Her campaign, to date, has raised $1,800.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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