Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter eyes a new neighbour
Nanaimo Old City Quarter businesses are crying “foul” after they were surprised by news that Nanaimo’s needle exchange program will be relocated to their neighbourhood…on January 1st.
The surprise and shock—and underlying worry—has reverberated through the Old City Quarter Association and the continuing reactions have been making news. We speak with a number of people involved in the situation. (more…)
Nearly 5,000 people joined an online Facebook campaign which urged members to “get them steel toes ready” for a day of booting last week. The website appears to have been inspired by an episode of the cartoon South Park, in which a young character called Cartman describes people with red hair as “evil” and “soulless”. Dozens of children left messages on the page claiming to have carried out attacks on the so-called “National Kick a Ginger Day” on Thursday, Nov 20. (more…)
The Victoria ruling and its impacts
“I’m sleeping in a tent-city tonight,” David Johnson declared in an email from Victoria. Earlier that week, a BC supreme court ruling struck down Victoria bylaws making it illegal for homeless people to set up “temporary abodes” in city parks and other public spaces.
Within days, the City of Victoria responded with a new bylaw limiting the hours during which tents could be set up and police enforced the new bylaw by rousting campers at 7 a.m. (more…)
