09-23-2019, 08:08 PM
(09-23-2019, 08:05 PM)jeffster Wrote:(09-23-2019, 07:30 PM)Bob_McBob Wrote: Waterloo city council just passed a motion giving bylaw officers the power to compel identification under the public nuisance bylaw. In the meeting, their own staff admitted bylaw officers in Ontario are required to inform people they don't have to produce identification if asked. The city had been mulling asking the province for this authority, but apparently decided to just forge ahead and do it instead. Their legal counsel believes the bylaw amendment will hold up in court, when they are inevetably sued.
They've also passed restrictions desginating specific days around St Patrick's Day for special treatment under the bylaw, and want the province to eventually allow them to implement "surge fines".
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/new-bylaws-...-1.4606772
From the agenda packet:
I have to wonder if this is the same legal staff that was involved in the entire RIM fiasco (the initial approving getting the loan) and the subsequent lawsuit they pursued (and not entirely won).
A better option would be to do some road work that day -- fill in any potholes properly, repaint lines, fix curbs and sidewalks. Stuff that needs to be done regardless. Perhaps clean some of the water mains by opening a couple hydrants. Kill two birds with one stone and avoid any issues. But I digress.
But, no, they'll take a more convoluted path that will see them in court, losing, again, and not solving the issue.
Big thumbs up to the idea of opening a bunch of fire hydrants or otherwise making the street difficult to use that day!
Related question about identification: how can it be that identification does not need to be provided if a ticket is being issued? Without a requirement to show ID, any ticket could be trivially avoided by giving a false identity. Or have I misunderstood, and the point is that right now identification can only be required if a ticket is to be issued, and now the City wants to change it to allow demanding identification without a ticket being issued?