Dear all:
I've been approached to help with a court challenge (in Vancouver) to the
city's anti-panhandling bylaw which, like many other regulations, restricts
the time and place that panhandling can occur (see sections below). The
hope is to challenge this under the Canadian Charter (freedom of
expression, liberty, equality etc). I've been asked, in particular, for
information on the following:
a) the social context/background of panhandlers (why do people panhandle?
are they engaged in malicious quasi criminal activity, motivated by greed,
or are they, well, poor?)
b) any empirical studies (ideally from Vancouver, but from elsewhere to)
of panhandlers themselves - eg age, ethnicity, health etc)
c) any arguments that can be used to refute the 'broken windows theory'
that has been claimed in defence of such regulations.
If anyone has any leads or thoughts or examples (from anywhere) I'd
appreciate them
Nick Blomley
(Vancouver Bylaw to regulate or control panhandling)
3. No person shall panhandle on a street within 10 m of
(a) an entrance to a bank, credit union or trust company,
(b) an automated teller machine,
(c) a bus stop,
(d) a bus shelter, or
(e) the entrance to a liquor store.
4. No person shall panhandle from an occupant of a motor
vehicle which is
(a) parked,
(b) stopped at a traffic control signal, or
(c) standing temporarily for the purpose of loading or
unloading.
5. No person shall panhandle on a street at any time during
the period from sunset to sunrise.
6. No person shall sit or lie on a street for the purpose of
panhandling.
7. No person shall continue to panhandle on a street from a
person after that person has made a negative response.
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N i c k B l o m l e y
Associate Professor
Department of Geography
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6,
CANADA
(604) 291-3713 (tel)
(604) 291-5841 (fax)
[log in to unmask] (email)
http://www.sfu.ca/geography/faculty/blomley.htm
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