July 9, 1997

COUNCILS TURN BACKS ON BARE BREAST ISSUE

By JACKI LEROUX
Ottawa Sun
  The cities of Kanata and Gloucester have refused to jump into the debate over female public toplessness.
  At meetings last night, both councils shelved a request from the city of Chatham to support its bid to get the Criminal Code amended to either prohibit or limit female toplessness in public places.
  "This is not an issue in Gloucester and I hope it never will be," said Gloucester Mayor Claudette Cain. "I do not support the decision of the court. But there are a lot more priorities in Ontario that need to be addressed."
  By filing away the request, councillors in both cities sent a message that they don't want to enter the fray over whether or not toplessness should be legal.
  "It's up to the provincial and federal courts," said Kanata Coun. Tom Flood.
  So far, the city of Vanier is the only one in the region to publicly protest women doffing their tops in public after a couple of hookers went topless while strolling Montreal Rd. One hooker was charged.
  The Vanier Business Improvement Area -- with the support of full city council -- has started a petition calling for a ban on public nudity, and will be running full-page ads in area newspapers later this week inviting residents to drop in to Vanier businesses to sign it.
  The petition will be presented to the provincial and federal governments Aug. 10.
  "I'm disappointed" Kanata is not supporting Chatham, said Cindy Irvine, a mother of two who wrote a letter to Kanata asking that petitions also be made available throughout that city.
  "It seems silly to take such a silly thing to the Supreme Court of Canada, but if that's what it takes..." said Irvine, wearing a "No to Nudity in Public" T-shirt distributed by the BIA.
  Although an Ottawa councillor believes Chatham's request is a good idea, council won't be considering such a notion -- at least not yet.
  "I'm not thinking about it at this point, but believe me, it will be revisited," said Coun. Brian Mackey, council's most vocal opponent to public toplessness.
  "This (Chatham motion) is proof that this issue is not going to go away. Any councillor who thinks they can just sweep this under the rug is really out of step with how the majority of people feel about this issue," he said.
  He said his office has received many angry phone calls from constituents ever since Ottawa approved a bylaw last month which allows women to doff their tops at beaches, but not at public swimming pools.
  "People are just adamant. They don't support any change."

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