Pubdate: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 Source: Chilliwack Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Chilliwack Times Contact: http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1357 Author: Mike Chouinard Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?228 (Paraphernalia) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) LEGAL EAGLES PUT ON BYLAW It Was The Public Hearing That Never Happened. Faced with some questions surrounding the legality of their proposed bylaw to control hydroponic equipment sales, city council decided to put their plans on hold Monday night. When Mayor Clint Hames announced early on that the city was holding off on the bylaw, there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief from the large group that had gathered for the hearing. "Our legal counsel's advice is to withdraw the item at this time," Hames said. Many had written or faxed council prior to the meeting to express their opposition to the bylaw, and most filed out immediately upon hearing the news of the withdrawal. As they filed out of council chambers, some could be heard saying they had driven four hours to come to the hearing or muttered the city didn't 'have a leg to stand on' or referred to their 'brief interlude' into municipal politics. The group may have to return though, either to city hall or to some other forum. The mayor said that while the bylaw is before Information and Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis, this does not mean the bylaw is dead. "Grow-ops in our communities and the paraphernalia that is being sold...is a huge problem," Hames said. While the city still wants to move ahead, Hames said it might be a more likely scenario if controls are placed on the hydroponics trade on a more regional basis. Following the meeting, the mayor said that with Coun. Sharon Gaetz chairing the Lower Mainland Municipal Association the city can still make the issue a priority throughout the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, in order to have every community is on board when it comes to taking on the narcotics trade. "We can probably develop a much better bylaw if we all work together," he said. He does not expect it to be an easy fight, as the narcotics trade represents a multi-billion-dollar, under-the-table industry, which is complemented by legal hydroponics businesses, some of whom advertise sales for pipes and bongs in addition to agricultural equipment. Hames hopes to challenge the legitimate businesses to work with local governments to clean up their image. As far as the city's own bylaw, some such as the Downtown Business Improvement Association expressed concern it is too broad, though they were not entirely against the bylaw. Others expressed stronger feelings of opposition such as the Hydroponics Merchants Association and their lawyer Jonathan Baker, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, a number of agricultural supply businesses and many individuals. At the hearing, one woman suggested many of the opponents who came to speak out against the bylaw were from the U.S. Hames responded that many of the letters of opposition had come from American companies but he added that they, too, have the right to speak at local public hearings. "We don't have rules here restricting what country you're from." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom