Extreme Weather Forecast For Vancouver Olympic Games
New Law Lets Police Force Homeless to Visit Shelter
Controversial legislation assailed by civil liberties advocates, NDP.
Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman introduced legislation today that will allow police to force homeless people to go to shelters during extreme weather.
“This act will give police a tool to say, ‘You have to go to the shelter,’” said Coleman. Once offered a bed and a meal, most people will choose to stay, he said. “We just think we need the tool to get them there.”
It defines a “person at risk” as someone who is at least 19 years old who “in the opinion of the police officer is suffering physical harm or is at risk of suffering physical harm because of the extreme weather conditions.”
My guess is the week before the games begin, we’ll be hit by extreme weather. It’s now the only way to deal with the embarassing homeless situation we’ve allowed to thrive in Vancouver.
The bill comes to the legislature the day before the Olympic torch relay begins. Asked if it is part of a plan to sweep the streets of homeless people before and during the Olympic Games in Vancouver, Coleman said. “That always comes up but I’m going to tell you it’s absolutely wrong… This has got nothing to do with the Olympics.”
Yeah, right.
Funny what a culture of accommodation does. They can’t (won’t) arrest them for smoking crack, selling drugs, prostitution, or behavior that would get anyone else locked up for the night.
By creating a law of compassion, it now gives the police the power to get homeless people off the street. My guess is that they’ll use it for the bad actors, so we’re not completely embarrassed by the world’s cameras.
Bring on the games…
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Where were all the homeless people in the 1950’s? Something is wrong if we have all these folks with various issues living on the streets.