Elections Victoria

Flashback 2008

West Raven — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:28:14 +0000

Entries on this site are in reverse chronological order, from newer to older. Content is specific to the 2008 Victoria Municipal election, and the co-inciding/colliding Right to Sleep Campaign.

Some highlights:

Mayor Elect Donates Coat to Homeless
Woodruff concedes, throws support to Filipovic
November 3rd Mayoral Forum with Reid and Fortin
Meet your 2008 Candidates for City of Victoria Council
James Bay Peace and Justice Mayoral Forum, November 3, 2008
Democracy is a Well-Informed Public

B the Media

West Raven — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:51:13 +0000

Perhaps you’ve noticed that Electionsvictoria.ca never lived up to it’s potential as a source for local municipal political news. We never really had enough people to cover more that just one issue that was happening OUTSIDE city hall.

Where are we now? Some of us have moved on. Others have become part of a new local media project.

Bchannelnews.tv has set out to provide comprehensive local video news coverage. We’re taking it slow, concentrating on quality over quantity, and what you’ll see is nothing like electionsvictoria.ca, except that it’s locally focused, with emphasis on video coverage.

If you’ve ever wanted to get involved with this kind of project, now is your chance. Read and pass along the following call-out and consider taking part in the future of local media.

Thanks!

**Please pass this message along to anyone who might be interested in being involved with a new local media project…

B Channel News, a new online local video news collective, is looking for videographers, on-camera reporters, video editors, journalists,
columnists, web designers/techs, and other volunteers to help us create a new form of online interactive news media.

B Channel crews have been out filming events around town, and we have one sample page up at http://bchannelnews.tv to demonstrate what we hope to create.

Our goal is to provide comprehensive, factual coverage of key local issues.

We do this by providing as much information as possible, in a variety of formats. Our job, as the media, is not to pick and choose from the information we discover and present it with a pre-packaged angle. Our job is to help you be as informed as possible, and draw your own conclusions.

We’re aware, as journalists and researchers ourselves, how online media archives are increasingly being used by students, scholars, researchers, legislators, and others, as a tool for research. With this in mind, it’s critical that stories get told from as many angles as possible, and that access be created directly to the source of the information.

B Channel News is an interactive experience. Each issue covered includes several video segments, interviews, articles, and links to other media outlets, as well as links to relevant websites. Each page has a comment section, so that you may join the discussion, put forwards suggestions, share information, and help steer the direction of our coverage.

B Channel News is located in Victoria, BC. Our coverage will be focused mainly on events in this city.

B Channel News is looking to recruit and support beat reporters.
(Beat reporting is the craft of reporting on an issue or particular sector, organization or institution over time. Beat reporters build up a base of knowledge on and gain familiarity with the sector, allowing them to provide insight and commentary in addition to reporting straight facts. This distinguishes them from other journalists who might cover similar stories from time to time. -wikipedia)

Possible beats include:

-Culture
-Politics (mostly municipal)
-Development and Infrastructure
-Business, Industry
-Education
-Labour
-Police and Military
-Criminal Courts
-Poverty and Social Services
-Environment
-Religion/Spirituality
-Community
-Technology and Science
-Health
-History

B Channel News is a collectively run media project. Our goal is to allow reporters as much creative control as possible with their coverage. We want to produce a quality website that reporters feel proud to be involved with.

Though we are hoping to attract dedicated volunteers who are willing to work with us on a regular basis, we are also accepting submissions of articles and videos. Consider becoming a freelance reporter with B Channel.

The B Channel News Collective meets every Sunday at 1pm.
Email info@bchannelnews.tv for meeting location, or call 250-857-NEWS

More arrests outside City Hall

West Raven — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:17:43 +0000

Two people were arrested this afternoon in Centennial Square for refusal to remove their temporary shelter.
The mainstream media concludes it’s story with a quote from the police denying that David Arthur Johnston and David Shebib were homeless.
“These two individuals, they’re not homeless, they’re protesters and they’re just trying to make a political statement,” said police spokesman Sgt. Grant Hamilton.
In a court appearance less than a month ago, a judge agreed that David Arthur Johnston was homeless, and not only that, the city has no right to determine who is homeless or who ‘should’ be homeless.

David Arthur Johnston Continues Affirmation of Right to Sleep

West Raven — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:40:57 +0000

photo: Pete Rockwell

The mainstream media in this city is running articles these past couple days about the City of Victoria’s new temporary bylaw that bans daytime camping.
Not mentioned is that David Arthur Johnston has constructed a cardboard abode in Centennial Square and has announced that he is ready once again to defend the Right to Sleep as it was granted to homeless people by the Oct. 14 BC Supreme court ruling.
This morning bylaw officers gave David Arthur Johnston and David Shebib warning that they would be returning tomorrow (Saturday) morning to issue infraction tickets.

David Arthur Johnston’s Humble Proposal

West Raven — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:13:43 +0000

photo: Johnathan LeDrew

My proposal to the Corporation of the City of Victoria

Good day. I’m happy to write to you. I feel that we share a great
intimacy, having been through so much together. I realize we’ve been,
seemingly, poised against one another for a good long while, so there
is always concern of whether or not something is genuinely humble or
just some subtle way to bite, on both our parts, I presume.

That said, I believe we can come up with an amiable solution that
would even justify ceasing the appeal. Part of my proposal includes
the suggestion that I would not assert myself towards a tent-city if
the City could leave in place the ruling as it stands (maybe making a
list of places that cannot be used). In this way, the thing would
peacefully evolve, one way or the other. Put in a rule that says no
more than 4 tents. Patrol. Observe. Those practicing criminal
behaviour will remain easily recognizable from those good people just
putting their efforts to survival.

It is simple enough to work. The trust implied would be healthy and
enlightening on both sides. Industry need not be overtly affected and
the population would have a moment where they loved their government
for being wise enough to accept and face the hard times.

I ask, for a moment, not to be thought of as an adversary. There is a
huge problem here, and we here very much are feeling the indications
of the global condition. There is an opportunity here to do a right
thing that maybe has never been done before and understandably there
is apprehension. Patience be with us. Let us love truth and be
professional.

David Arthur Johnston

Victoria, BC, Canada

Hatrackman@Gmail.com

Miracle in Court

West Raven — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:06:22 +0000

by Kristen Woodruff

Good Evening;

Court this morning was a miracle. The room was filled with such a strong spirit of love and truth that I was overcome with tears of joy before even hearing the ruling. And, indeed, the judge ruled that the city is not acting lawfully by enforcing their 7 p.m. to 7 a.m restriction on the construction of temporary shelters. Justice McKenzie politely and in proper legal terms put the City of Victoria in its place. It took great courage and grace to do this. In the courtroom I was not the only one who remarked that McKenzie looked and seemed like an angel.

McKenzie’s ruling did include the reminder that the City is free to draft new legislation in this matter, which may well include various restrictions on the times and places where homeless people can erect temporary shelter. But this process will have to go through public hearing processes before being passed through a vote by council. It will then remain to be seen whether the resulting legislation is constitutional. In the meantime, as of today, the City of Victoria cannot continue to authorize the police department to stop homeless people from erecting temporary shelter whenever they need it, even in the daytime. This is huge, and means a great deal of relief for quite a few people. And the implications extend far beyond Victoria.

This was never about “what side will win”; and so it is not a time to gloat over the city’s defeat. It is, though, a time to celebrate an occurrence that is quite rare in human experience to date but which may well become more and more common—that the Court of Law upholds the rights of the disenfranchised as against the privileges of the monied, ruling elite. Thus this is a “victory” not only for “the homeless” but for everyone who feels small in the face of the Power of the System. In the Courtroom today we were reminded that there is a force stronger than the force powerful humans wield with their guns and laws and money. I don’t know what we can call that stronger force, but I do know it is stronger, and it is there.

I hope this court ruling will be a call to cooperation on all sides, a chance to have a reasonable, compassionate, inclusive public dialogue about how we can share the Commons in a way that best meets the needs of everyone in the City. The whole country will be watching Victoria to see how we deal with this one, and there is an opportunity to deal with it
gracefully and courageously, on all sides. May we all be inspired by that same many-named and un-nameable force that filled the courtroom this morning.

with much awe and gratitude,

Kristen Woodruff.

Committee to End Homelessness Applauds Decision in Latest Anti-Camping Case

West Raven — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:30:59 +0000

Group plans creation of user-run encampments of temporary emergency abodes

The Committee to End Homelessness, a grassroots advocacy group in Victoria, BC, applauds yesterday’s court ruling in the City of Victoria’s case against homeless campers.

The Committee to End Homelessness believes that the only viable solution to homelessness is housing (and associated supports), but recognizes that it will take several years to provide real housing for most people on the street. Meanwhile, there remains a significant number of people who are vulnerable to the increased health and safety risks associated with living outside.

“Homeless people have – for now – the right to erect temporary shelter on city-owned land,” says Chris Johnson, a member of the Committee to End Homelessness. “If they choose to assert this right, we want them to know that a large group of people are ready and willing to support them in a variety of ways.”

The ruling comes at a time when the Temporary Autonomous Shelter Committee (TASC), a newly-formed collective of housed and unhoused individuals closely allied to the Committee to End Homelessness, is actively researching the viability and logistics of creating a community of temporary emergency shelters in Victoria.

TASC is launching a survey of homeless and unstably housed people to determine the demand for temporary shelter encampments and collect input into plans to create these encampments. Following this survey will be a consultation with the wider community, to address their fears regarding autonomous emergency shelter.

Research has proven that a user-run encampment, with a firm code of conduct and well- organized support, can be a viable short-term alternative to the current shelter system. A variety of sanctioned ‘tent cities’ across North America provide solid evidence that issues of safety, sanitation and unsightliness can be mitigated with proper planning and support.

The Committee to End Homelessness is supporting TASC to follow a transparent, collective process, and is aware that TASC is not ready at this point to undertake a temporary shelter project of it’s own.

However, the Committee to End Homelessness supports the right of homeless individuals to erect and maintain temporary shelter, and are willing, along with members of TASC, to offer our support in the form of logistics and legal advice to those wishing to assert this right.

Media contact: Chris Johnson forestaction@yahoo.ca

City Hall Campers Appear in Court

West Raven — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:03:06 +0000

This morning David Arthur Johnston, Kristen Woodruff and Tavis Dodds faced charges of accumulated bylaws infractions related to their occupation of Centennial Square earlier this month.
These charges were the latest attempt by the City of Victoria to enforce their anti-camping bylaws, after previous charges were thrown out by the Crown on the basis of the questionable constitutional standing.
Johnston was arrested three times since the BC Supreme Court ruling, Dodds arrested twice and Woodruff once.
At the most recent occupation at the Christmas Tree in Centennial Square, police did not arrest Woodruff, but gave her several tickets.
It was the accumulation of these tickets that the city is looking to prosecute the campers for.
The judge in the case is reserving his ruling and we may find out next week whether or not the city is able to keep enforcing the anti-camping bylaws against homeless people.

The following is a report from David Arthur Johnston

St. Ann’s update- Dec. 31st, 2008: case went well

Bunch of people. Bunch of reporters and cameras. City spent time
trying to classify worthy homeless and unworthy homeless. I will not
say what will happen as the judge reserved his ruling. Meaning it will
probably be sometime next week (hopefully and presumably).

VICNEWS made me their top news maker of 2008. Its alright. The
psychological impact of the intense scrutiny is something… I can’t
do anything without everyone knowing about it…

other than that, I’m getting over this pneumonia and am in good
spirits even if I’ve no energy.

in love,

David Arthur Johnston

Tent Up Again at City Hall; Tickets Issued, But No Arrests

West Raven — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:25:41 +0000

by Fiach Johnson
A lone tent stands under the sequoia tree behind Victoria City Hall tonight, having been erected by homeless activist Kristen Woodruff on Saturday night.
This is the third time in 6 weeks that tents have been set up in Centennial Square in an attempt to challenge the City of Victoria’s anti-camping bylaw enforcement policy.
Woodruff and others involved in the ongoing protest insist that the BC Supreme Court Ruling of October 14 renders the bylaws in question unconstitutional, whereas the city insists that the ruling allows homeless people to erect tents between the hours of 7pm and 7am.
The city’s lawyers, as well as the lawyers representing the homeless campers, spoke with Madam Justice Ross on Friday, asking her to clarify her ruling.
The judge refused, leading many to believe that the bylaws may in fact be of no force and effect at all times, as opposed to just at night, as the city insists.
Woodruff has since received two more tickets in the last two days, and has refused to take down her tent and move along. She claims that the city is enforcing a bylaw that is of no force and effect, and is itself breaking the law, violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and depriving homeless people of life, liberty and security of person.
“All I ask of the city is that they hold an open, publicized consultation with representatives from the large group of Victorians who are sleeping outside, in which we determine, together, how to interpret Justice Ross’s ruling in a way that serves the highest good of all parties involved.” said Woodruff in an email to the media, mayor, council and her supporters. “I am not here to take over the parks or to cause a public disturbance. I am here because this country’s ever-growing homeless population are our very own refugees and we deserve what refugees in even the most impoverished war torn countries get—the right to erect simple, temporary shelters. The B.C. Supreme Court agrees, but the City of Victoria doesn’t.”
Woodruff is emboldened by the fact that in the last three attempts to enforce this bylaw against herself and others, the Crown has dismissed charges from one arrest and stayed charges in the second, claiming that these charges may not stand up to constitutional scrutiny.
For the third arrest, David Johnston and Tavis Dodds face civil charges resulting in multiple unpaid bylaw infraction tickets. Woodruff was informed today by bylaw enforcement officers that she could expect the same charges that Johnston and Dodds are receiving.
Since these tickets were issued to enforce sections of a bylaw that Woodruff and others believe to be of no force and effect, the results of their December 31st hearing may very well settle the constitutional legality of the city’s new bylaw enforcement policy, thereby possibly affirming the right of homeless people to erect temporary shelter at any time of day.
In the meantime, Woodruff continues to maintain her camp under the tree, stating “It feels so good to not have to haul my belongings around with me all day. If the city wants to take down my tent that’s fine, but I will not be taking it down and moving along.”

Judge Madam Ross Refuses City’s Request to Amend Tent Camping Ruling

West Raven — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:57:57 +0000

electionsvictoria.ca brings this news to you first:
In an email sent out by homeless activist David Arthur Johnston, we learned that the city’s request to Madam Judge Ross to amend her ruling on the anti-tent bylaw charter challenge was denied.
At issue was a line at the end of the ruling which reads ” Sections 13(1) and (2),14(1) and (2), and 16(1) of the Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 07-059 and ss. 73(1) and 74(1) of the Streets and Traffic Bylaw No. 92-84 are of no force and effect insofar and only insofar as they apply to prevent homeless people from erecting temporary shelter.”
The city asked that the words ‘at night’ be added. The judge refused.
This was the clarification that the city needed in order to justify it’s new bylaw enforcement policy, which states that tents must be removed from parks between the hours of 7am and 9pm. Activists claim that the omission of that clarification has always meant that homeless people have a right to erect temporary shelter at all times of day.
Since the ruling was announced on October 14, Victoria Police has arrested campers on three separate occasions. Charges were dismissed and stayed for the first two arrests, with Crown spokesperson Stan Lowe advising the city that the bylaw enforcement policy may not stand up to consititional scrutiny.
Johnston, along with Tavis Dodds, who were arrested on Nov.28 for refusing to dismantle a tent they had set up under a sequoia tree behind city hall, are to face civil charges this month for accumulated unpaid tickets. This course of action was recommended to the city by the Crown, who has stated they will not be prosecuting charges based on these bylaws.
Lawyers resenting Johnston and Dodds are expected to deliver a letter to the city today, asking them to drop the charges.