Cat bylaw may be in for fix

Council to revisit kitty rules, issue may go to plebiscite
By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporter
Tue. Mar 4 - 5:41 AM

 

Get ready for the claws to come out . . . once again.

Halifax regional council is set to review its recently passed — but not yet enacted — animal bylaw during its regular weekly meeting at city hall today.

The about-face on the bylaw, which was approved last October by a vote of 11-9, comes after council last week reviewed potential costs associated with sheltering all of the animals expected to be picked up when the bylaw goes into effect on April 1.

That’s because the piece of new legislation includes provisions for cat licensing — at a cost ranging from $10 to $30 — and forbids dogs and cats to run at large.

If an animal strays off its property, it can be taken to a shelter and kept for a limited time while attempts are made to contact the owner.

If no owner is found, then the animal could be euthanized.

Back in January, the city issued a request for proposals for sheltering services to deal with the expected increase of animals.

At that time, the president of the provincial SPCA told The Chronicle Herald that costs could reach astronomical levels.

That may have been what councillors heard last week at a closed-door session.

Afterward, Mayor Peter Kelly did tell reporters that councillors were debating a “contractual matter” that had to do with “dollars.”

A public hearing would have to be held to gauge the public’s support for eliminating the portions of the animal bylaw dealing with cats.

However, that might all be moot.

Coun. David Hendsbee (Preston-Lawrencetown-Chezzetcook) has asked for a motion of reconsideration on council’s vote last week to proceed with getting rid of those parts of the bylaw.

Instead, he’d like to see the issue dealt with in a plebiscite during October’s municipal election.

“I’m getting to the point that perhaps it’s time for this council to suspend further debate on pet registration and go to the people on a plebiscite,” he said.

( apugsley@herald.ca)

Technorati Tags: Halifax,Cat ByLaw,revisited

Robbed student: Crime on rise in HRM

 

 

 

Robbed student: Crime on rise in HRM
By DAVENE JEFFREY and CHRIS LAMBIE Staff Reporters
Fri. Feb 15 - 5:50 AM

A Dalhousie University student robbed of his laptop computer at knifepoint says crime is getting worse in Halifax.

Tyler Dennis was walking home from the library Tuesday night at about 9:30 p.m. when a man stopped him on LeMarchant Street, just outside Risley Hall.

“He said, ‘Just give me the bag,’ and then he took it and he fled, Mr. Dennis said Thursday.

The 20-year-old history student, who is from Niagara Falls, Ont., said he wasn’t harmed.

“It was a rather shocking situation, to be honest, especially on campus, he said.

Mr. Dennis, who is a representative on the Halifax Student Alliance, sent out a news release Thursday.

“Crime is getting worse in Halifax, he said in the release. “Students like me are experiencing it every day, and we want to be part of the solution. We’re not just complaining. We’re part of Halifax and we want to make things better.

But police say their statistics show the crime rate is falling.

“Our robberies were down last year by 28 per cent, said Halifax Regional police spokesman Const. Jeff Carr. “And overall, violent crime and property crime are both down significantly.

Police have said several robberies in the past couple of days, including the theft of Mr. Dennis’ laptop, appear to have been committed by the same person.

“Usually, when we see a string of incidents like this, someone is feeding an addiction, Const. Carr said.

Const. Carr believes students on the Dalhousie campus don’t have anything in particular to fear from the snatching bandit.

“He’s obviously got a vehicle and is mobile, Const. Carr said.

The other victims have been in the Clayton Park area.

On Wednesday evening, a man pulled up to a Metro Transit stop on Willett Street near Dunbrack at 11:12 p.m. He threatened a woman who was waiting for the bus and drove off with her purse.

Officers were already investigating a similar incident that occurred at 6 a.m. Wednesday. A man got out of a car and at the same bus stop and grabbed a woman’s purse.

The 48-year-old victim in that case refused to let go and struggled with the would-be thief, who drove off empty-handed. The car in that case was described as a tan-coloured sedan, and the suspect was described as in his 20s, of average height and build, with a thin face and wearing a dark tuque.

( djeffrey@herald.ca)

Technorati Tags: Halifax Crime reports,Crime Up

Crime: it’s not as bad as you might think

CITYTHINK
View comments ( | View latest comment |

Last updated at 3:10 PM on 03/10/07

 
CityThink is a wide-ranging poll conducted by Bristol Omnifacts Research for The Daily News to take the pulse of metro residents on six key issues that affect their daily lives. This week, we examine neighbourhood safety. Poll shows few metro residents ex
RICHARD DOOLEY
The Daily News

Police Chief Frank Beazley (left) discusses results of the Daily News/Bristol Omnifacts CityThink crime poll. (Daily News/Sabrena MacKenzie)

When Halifax Regional Police Chief Frank Beazley looks at the The Daily News/Bristol Omnifacts Research CityThink poll results on crime in metro, a smile crosses his face.
Beazley likes the numbers so much, he’s taken to using the data when talking to other journalists and his own cops.
In a way, seeing that most HRM residents feel safe in the city is a validation of the effort his department has put into crime-prevention programs, enhanced enforcement strategies and community policing.
So when the poll results show that most people in metro have never been the victim of a serious crime, Beazley feels he’s on the right track.
“I think the poll is pretty much right on,” Beazley said during an interview in his office at the Gottingen Street police headquarters. “It doesn’t surprise me that 83 per cent of people haven’t been a victim of crime.”
Pollster Layton Dorey said that in most cases, with a few exceptions broken out according to youth and gender, most people feel downtown Halifax is safe.
“It’s also probably to be expected that young people are more inclined to feel safe than older people,” Dorey said. “That’s probably a universal truth.”
Half of HRM residents consider downtown Halifax safe, with nine out of 10 people regarding it as “mostly safe.”
The perception of downtown safety closely correlates with age.
Younger people are more likely to regard the downtown area as safe, with two-thirds of people under the age of 35 supporting that claim.
Men (54 per cent) are more likely to consider downtown safe than women (46 per cent).
What’s surprising about that result is, when 600 HRM residents contacted for the poll were asked if they’ve personally been the victim of a serious crime, the highest category responding yes was in the 18 to 24 age range.
That could be because younger people are more apt to take risks than the older generation, Beazley said.
Police will tell you that on any given night in downtown Halifax, the vast majority of people in the bar areas in the younger group.
It doesn’t surprise Beazley that most of the people to report being victims of serious crimes are young.
“Every study will tell you that the great majority of victims are in a relatively small age range,” he said.
Statistics gathered by the police show that the majority of assaults they are called to deal with occur in a relatively small area of downtown Halifax, usually between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. when the bars close.
Recognizing that, police got tough with drunks.
The philosophy was to get drunks off the street either before they became victims of crime, or before they did something to get them into trouble with the law.
Beazley said he doesn’t like to downplay the devastating impact being the victim of crime has on a person’s life.
But reviewing these poll results bolsters his long-held conviction that most people in HRM will never be the victim of a serious crime.
“Most people are relatively safe,” he said.
That message also emphasizes one of the key things Beazley has talked about during his tenure as chief.
It’s one thing to have more cops on patrol and to crack down hard on criminals, but it’s another thing to change the habits of ordinary citizens.
Ultimately, keeping the city safe is a shared responsibility between the justice system and the public.
“People need to think about what they do and how they do it,” Beazley said.
Police have certainly changed how they go about keeping the streets safe.
Two years ago, Halifax police began knocking on doors to keep track of accused and convicted criminals released on court-ordered conditions.
Since Operation Breach began in 2005, there’s been a marked decrease in the number of violent and property crimes, particularly thefts and robberies.
Police target offenders considered to be a high risk to re-offend while on conditions, and make sure they are abiding by the court orders.
rdooley@hfxnews.ca

---

Bristol Omnifacts Research surveyed 600 people from Aug. 23 to Sept. 4 for the CityThink poll. The poll’s margin of error is +/- 4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

---

Total 600
Yes 76%
No 23
Don’t know 1
Which ones
Gottingen/Agricola/Uniacke Sq 37%
North end Halifax 32
Downtown/core Halifax 29
Dartmouth/other Dartmouth 21
Spryfield 18
Downtown Dartmouth 15
Cunard/Commons/Citadel Hill 12
Don’t know 8
North end Dartmouth 8
Centre Halifax 5
Barrington/Water/Waterfront 3
South end Halifax 2
Fairview 2
Refused 2
West end Halifax 1
Cole Harbour 1
Sackville 1
Preston area 1
Clayton Park 1
Herring Cove 0
University area (Robie, Inglis) 0
Point Pleasant Park 0
Bedford 0
Chocolate Lake 0
Armdale 0

---

Total respondents 600
Yes 17%
No 83
Refused 0
Don’t know 0

---

Total respondents 600
Yes 53%
No 46
Refused 0
Don’t know 0

Violence report almost done

The Halifax Chronical Herald

By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE Staff Reporter
Wed. Jan 30 - 5:29 AM
Fourteen months in the making, a report on the mayor’s round table on violence in metro is to be presented to regional council in February, Mayor Peter Kelly said Tuesday.

He said the report, prepared by Dalhousie University criminologist Don Clairmont, will be comprehensive and include key recommendations affecting police, government agencies, young people, parents, school administrators and others.

“I know it will be a substantial document,” Mr. Kelly said.

It was put together after collecting considerable feedback, including information from community surveys, public forums and focus groups.

Last year, a mail-in survey was sent to about 5,000 area households and 47 per cent were completed — “a practically unheard-of response for a survey this size, showing just how important violent crime and perceptions of violent crime are to residents,” the city’s website says.

Mr. Clairmont’s report was to have been presented this month but a Jan. 9 letter to round-table members from Halifax city hall says otherwise.

“The final report from the round table is currently being developed,” it says. “Given that there has been some time to reflect on the information presented during the round table, you may have further comments or thoughts which you would like to contribute.”

The letter encourages round-table members to forward additional remarks to Mr. Clairmont so he can include them in next month’s report.

Mr. Kelly established the round table in November 2006 after the violent attack of an American serviceman outside a Halifax bar. Navy sailor Damon Crooks, 28, of Jacksonville, Fla., was found with stab wounds and later pronounced dead in hospital.

The mayor said in an interview that regional council could end up voting on the report’s recommendations, if the suggestions require the allocation of municipal resources.

Mr. Kelly said the report will be released publicly at a regular council session or news conference.

Violent crime — murders, attempted murders, robberies, assaults and other offences — was down by almost eight per cent in the first six months of last year compared to 2006, according to figures Halifax Regional Police provided for their coverage area. But many metro residents feel unsafe and won’t go to certain areas of the municipality at night.

On the police department’s website, 43 unsolved murders are listed dating back to 1955. Eleven of those occurred from March 2004 to July 2007.

The most recent unsolved murder on the police website took place July 21, in Halifax. Glenn Brian Bourgeois was shot to death at the intersection of Maynard and Woodill streets in the afternoon. Paramedics responded, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

( mlightstone@herald.ca)

Our own cop show – Release and Catch

The Halifax Chronical Herald

JIM MEEK
Sat. Jan 26 - 4:47 AM

SPORT fishermen understand “catch and release” programs.

You hook a salmon or trout, and then throw it back for some reason or other – so another guy can catch and release it, I guess.

Well, Nova Scotia’s Department of Justice has now introduced a “release and catch” program.

It sets prisoners free, and then the police get to track down the bad guys and put them back in jail.

This week, a prisoner named Eric Latham – who was carrying a loaded handgun at the time – was nabbed in the Halifax area during a 4 a.m. traffic stop. This came about two weeks after Latham had been mistakenly released from jail.

Now don’t you worry, ye residents of the vast territories beyond HRM.

Halifax isn’t being singled out for special treatment under the release and catch program.

This Department of Justice pilot project was kicked off in December, when a gentleman accused of assault walked away from the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth. Then, earlier this month, a rape suspect was released from the Cape Breton Correctional Centre because of confusion over paperwork or some such thing.

The geographic range of the program is widening, then. And with any luck, escaped prisoners will be coming soon to a community near you.

This is exciting stuff, I tell you – setting potentially violent prisoners free all over the province. And maybe Nova Scotia could franchise Release and Catch as a reality cop show.

Sure, this makes for weird public policy. But entertainment always trumps government in this province, anyway.

I mean, if you could cast a vote for Ellen Page instead of Premier Rodney MacDonald, you would, right?

Too bad Cecil Clarke doesn’t get it.

On Thursday, the justice minister said that from now on, the public will be warned when a prisoner walks away from jail with the co-operation of Clarke’s officials. This hasn’t always been the case in the past.

The public wasn’t initially informed in the case of Latham, the 23-year-old who roamed about harmlessly (as far as we know) for 11 days before officials went public.

I say “harmlessly” because the gun-toting Latham – who had been previously charged with aggravated assault – posed no “identified public risk.”

That’s what the minister said, anyway.

So, let’s sum it all up:

Three guys obtain get-out-of-jail-free cards.

Cecil says the kid with the loaded gun posed no risk to the public.

So we weren’t warned that Latham was foot-loose with his pistol for the best part of a fortnight.

And even though Latham was armed but not dangerous, Cecil introduces a new policy saying his department will warn the public when harmless prisoners “escape.”

If the logic of this eludes you, join the crowd.

It is often the case, in fact, that the governmental mind is too subtle an instrument to be gauged by those of us who merely pay taxes.

Here’s a second example, and perhaps a second storyline for a reality TV show as well – Immigrant Blues.

Our immigration nominee policy worked something like this.

Aspiring Canadians paid more than $100,000 each for the opportunity to work in this province under a mentorship program.

Money went to the company that administered the program (Cornwallis Financial Corp.) and to the firms that were supposed to mentor nominees – and sometimes did.

This program worked so badly that Nova Scotia ended up buying the silence of disgruntled nominees who got nothing for their money. (It is now giving millions back to these unlucky people.)

This week, Cornwallis Financial was again put in the spotlight because it was given this contract as a “sole-source” supplier – no competitive bidding procress was put in place.

In the end, the explanation for this was another head-shaker.

A legislative committee was told this week that the contract process went astray because of the wording of one lousy e-mail sent by one poor sod working at the Department of Economic Development.

Frankly, this excuse makes the department look worse than the transgression it is supposed to explain.

A multi-million-dollar sole-source contract got awarded due to a simple misunderstanding in a single piece of communication.

C’mon, guys. Is this really the way we develop public policy in Nova Scotia?

It’s enough to give a TV producer second thoughts about a reality show based on Nova Scotia justice or politics.

I mean, who would believe this stuff?

( jmeek@herald.ca)

Mitchell’s Environmental Treasures building may become condos soon.

Condo conundrum Mitchell’s Environmental Treasures building may become condos soon.
by Tim Bousquet
Big changes are coming to the heart of the Gottingen Street business district, threatening, say poverty activists, to eliminate much-needed affordable housing options and change the character of the neighbourhood forever. Wayne Robert Mitchell, owner of Mitchell’s Environmental Treasures, the universally (and legally) condemned eyesore at 2183 Gottingen, has entered into contract for the sale of the building, confirms Brian Church, Mitchell’s attorney. The sale won’t be complete until April, says Church, in part to give Mitchell enough time to remove his considerable belongings from the property. The new owner of the property will be Peter Polley, whose PolyCorp Developments Inc. is building the new Spice condominium at Barrington and Cornwallis streets. The Coast has been covering the saga of the building for many years, as it continued its slide into increasing disrepair. After its roof partially collapsed, city officials moved in to condemn the building, and for the past six months a protracted legal battle ensued as Mitchell resisted the city’s eviction battles. Presently, the store is full of rain-soaked junk, and nearby residents complain of rats coming from the building. Mitchell has posted dozens of newspaper articles about the situation on the building’s front door. There’s no doubt the structure will be razed, which raises the question: What will replace it? Polley did not return repeated phone calls for comment, and has not publicly stated his intentions for the MET property. But given that his business is constructing the nearby Spice project, activists fear Polley will likewise build condos at the Gottingen site. “That building was a hazard, but building condos is also a hazard,” says Capp Larsen, from the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty. The MET news comes just weeks after Turnstile Pottery and Soul Clippers Hairstyling were evicted from 2207 Gottingen, four doors down from the MET building. That building was bought by British Columbia-based Cornerstone Investments, and is being converted to condos. Larsen, one of a handful of residents who lives above the stores, is also being evicted. (The businesses have re-opened a few blocks away—Turnstile on Agricola Street and Soul Clippers on Cornwallis Street.) “That’s such a blatant example of gentrification,” says Larsen. “It’s a perfectly good building with affordable housing and locally owned businesses that serve the community. And they’re taking it over, evicting the tenants, putting in condos, and turning around and selling the building. There’s no investment in the community, no investment in the people who live here. It’s ethically and morally wrong.” Larsen worries that as more condos are built—there are at least a half-dozen condo projects in various states of construction in the neighbourhood—rents on existing affordable housing units will be pushed up. Also, she says, the new condos will bring upscale residents who will frown upon the various service providers that populate Gottingen. Larsen specifically mentions Direction 180, a methadone clinic, but the street also houses a Salvation Army drop-in centre and various other organizations dedicated to helping low-income people. “There’s going to be pressure to push out the service providers,” says Larsen. “Services and low-income people become displaced.” What should replace the MET building? “Affordable housing or businesses that cater to the people who live here,” says Larsen. As they now stand, development standards for Gottingen Street limit new construction to 80 feet in height, rooflines to 150 feet in width, and require that a third of street-levels be dedicated to windows—to bring commercial space to the street. But the standards do not speak to the affordability issue—many other municipalities require a percentage of construction be set aside for affordable housing, says Dawn Sloane, councillor for the area. “And it’s real affordability, defined by law, not the way we use <0×2018>affordability’ here, as just less expensive than the most high-end place.” Sloane says affordable housing requirements should be part of the revision of city planning known as HRM By Design and written into the Regional Plan, the document controlling all development in the city. “We talk about having an affordable housing standard. Everyone around the table says it’s necessary, but we never see it.”

Province increases police presence by 75 officers; HRM getting 14

JUSTICE
THE DAILY NEWS STAFF

Nova Scotia will soon see 70 new police officers hit the streets, with Halifax Regional Municipality the highest beneficiary with 14 new cops.

The move is part of the provincial government’s previous commitment to add 250 new officers by 2010.

Aside from the 14 officers going to Halifax, four will head to Cape Breton Regional municipality. The rest will be distributed throughout other areas of the province. Part of the government’s promise was to add at least one new officer to every municipality in the province.

“If we are serious about cracking down on crime, we must put resources behind our words,” Justice Minister Cecil Clarke said yesterday. “I am optimistic these positions will make a significant impact in our crackdown on crime.”

The new officers will tackle a variety of issues, from drugs and thefts to child pornography. Two officers in particular will be dedicated to the issue of family violence, and will be a resource to other police agencies. One will be dedicated to First Nations communities.

The increased police presence stems from a recommendation of the Nunn Commission. Input was also received from a Minister’s Task Force on Safer Streets and Communities, which heard from 800 Nova Scotians.

citydesk@hfxnews.ca

26/01/08 

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N.S. Tories roll out part of their more-cops promise

The Halifax Chronical Herald

By THE CANADIAN PRESS
Fri. Jan 25 - 2:20 PM
SYDNEY — Another 70 police officers will be hitting the streets of Nova Scotia as part of the provincial government’s plan to get tougher on crime.

Justice Minister Cecil Clarke said Friday every municipality will benefit from the program. “These new positions will help us combat crime in those areas identified as high priority in our new strategy,” said Clarke, who was in Sydney to provide an update on the plan.

“If we are serious about cracking down on crime, we must put resources behind our words and this is a commitment to do that.”

Under the current allotment, Halifax will get 14 new officers, while the Cape Breton Regional Municipality gets four.

The other 52 additions will be spread around the province.

The government said the new officers will combat drugs, proceeds of crime, thefts, assaults and child pornography.

The province has pledged to fund 250 new officers by 2010.

The latest positions announced Friday will be available starting April 1 for RCMP and municipalities to recruit and fill.

COMMENTS

POST YOUR COMMENT

Frank wrote:
More police will not help. The judges just send the criminals back out on the street to cause more havoc. The judicial system has to be fixed.

yorkke wrote:
Terribly misguided. Criminals ARE getting caught, they are just not being punished. Everyone knows this.

Kelly proves he’s desperate

MICHAEL DE ADDER (DE BLOG)
The Daily News

September 19th, 2007

Kelly proves he’s desperate

On occasion I do disagree with David Rodenhiser, the Daily News’ political commentator, but never so much as today. And it began with his lead:

“Say what you will about Peter Kelly’s performance as mayor, the man’s one smart politician.”
Rodenhiser was referring to Mayor Kelly’s meeting with Curtis Sliwa, one of the founding members of the Guardian Angels. The New York-based Guardian Angels are considering setting up a chapter in Halifax to address our so-called “violent crime problem.”

The Guardian Angels call themselves unarmed citizen crime patrollers. “Unarmed citizen crime patrollers” is a relatively benign way of saying “vigilante without accountability.”

No mayor has actively sought an audience with Sliwa by visiting him in New York City. That is until Kelly did so this week. There are good reasons for this.

Meeting with Sliwa hurts him in many ways.

-It sends out the message that he, the Mayor, has no faith or trust in the Halifax Regional Police, who have said repeatedly that crime is in fact down from last year.

-It has the appearance that City Hall can’t fix its own problems. This is probably true, but a mayor shouldn’t advertise it.

-It makes him look desperate on many levels. Desperate to fix a problem that may or may not exist, desperate to cater to a anti-crime vote and desperate to appear to be doing something.

In fact my lead would have read: Say what you will about Peter Kelly’s performance as mayor, the man’s one desperate politician

Comments:

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Dale from NS writes: I am not sure if I agree or disagree with you. Therefore I am having a difficult time putting to print what exactly I am thinking!I agree he is like a fish out of water and flapping for all its worth on the sandy dried up beach of his political career. But I also think his approaching the GA prior to their arrival was a smart move on his behalf. He now has an educated account of what exactly the group is and can bring to the CIRQUE DU CITY COUNCIL an informed and nonbiased information package. If and when he is questioned on this issue he now can answer with some authority as he has spoken to the man himself. The police are not at fault for the crime in the HRM, we don’t have enough of them to be everywhere, therefore we either pay higher taxes to hire more cops or we try something else. What difference is the GA compared to Neighbourhood Watch Groups that will patrol their own streets when vandalism escalates? We see their signs posted all over the Province. Does this deter crime, probably not but at least homeowners have a sence of false security that their neighbours might be watching out for them. when this program was introduced did it effect the Mayor of the day’s reputation or the Chief of Police? With the GA in place and during their patrols you can actually see them. It might get more people off the old coach and out for a drive or walk I don’t think only 12 members will do it. Maybe 12 in Halifax, 12 in Dartmouth and so on ….. So long as people go into this open minded and remember they are not armed they are not Po Po’s then no one should get hurt. we hope

Posted 19/09/2007 at 4:22 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment

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Keith P. from HRM, NS writes: How many police would $12 million of cat bylaw enforcement buy for us?I agree with the author, this is a slap in the face to the local police and a total sellout by the mayor in his relentless pandering for votes. Leadership is not a word in Peter Kelly’s dictionary. If it was, the cat bylaw absurdity would never have reached this stage and something concrete about the crime problem would already be well underway. The only word in Kelly’s dictionary is RE-ELECTION.

Posted 19/09/2007 at 7:33 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment

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Brad from Halifax, NS writes: So called violent crime problem ?Once I read that I realized you really are out of your element and, in fact, have no clue what you are talking about. As for a slap in the face to the police? The police can only hire the number of police they are funded to hire. Furthermore they can only enforce the laws that are on the books. Now I’m not endorsing Peter Kelly but he would have taken heat if he did or didn’t meet with Sliwa. When the guy actually shows some leadership a jounalist from his safe and comfy desk is waiting to pass judgement … brutal!

Posted 20/09/2007 at 10:19 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment

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Peter from NS writes: I commend Peter Kelly for talking to Mr. Sliwa. I don’t think it’s a slap in the face of Police either. This group is coming here by invitation of citizens and there is nothing that the Police or Peter Kelly can do about it. I’m glad that he is trying to find out more and I am hoping that the police will embrace this group and work with them to reduce the amount of needless crime such as beatings. The Angels can be creditable witness unlike people who have been drinking and got beat up on their way home and provide positive indentification to Police. I welcome them here and I hope the rest of the city does as well.

Posted 20/09/2007 at 1:39 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment