The Mad-Capcs Of Medicine Hat

Minutes of the Monday, August 20, 2001, regular Medicine Hat City Council Meeting the minutes were adopted as presented

Delegation

Mrs. Stigter, re: Petition against Pornography

Mrs. Joyce Stigter representing the Citizens of Alberta for Positive Community Standards (C.A.P.C.S.), concurred that the petition presented did not have enough signatures to meet the requirements for a plebiscite or bylaw, but asked the Council Members consider proceeding with one at the upcoming election. After providing statistics from other urban centers, Mrs.Stigter expressed the concern that restrictions must be put in place to remove or eliminate sexually oriented businesses from Medicine Hat as it will continue to have a negative effect on the community.

Alt. Kelly seconded my Ald. Friesen, moved:

That council members allow a Plebiscite in the upcoming civic election asking for bylaws that would prohibit future proposed adult video stores, adult book stores. Adult bottle clubs, adult juice bars. Adult mini-theaters. Adult peep shows, adult massage parlors, dial a porn numbers, escort services, strip clubs, lingerie bars, sexual aids stores, and other businesses that would promote explicate or dominantly sexual activity.

Council members requested that a committee be formed to research and discuss the concerns of the residents and possibly bring forward a bylaw, and referred the matter to the public services Committee

Communication

L. Godin, re: Letters from Electors re: Display of Adult Materials and Business Licensing Fees.

Mr., Godin provided an update that additional letters had been received, increasing the number of submissions to 729. 

Ald. Mandeville, seconded by Ald Craven, moved:

“That the Letters be referred to the Public Services Committee and other Committees as appropriate, for discussion and review.”

Carried

To help in there crusade against naughty bits in Medicine Hat. C.A.P.C.S. gave City Council a copy of a controversial paper written by Judith Reisman Ph.D. (Who has no formal education as a psychologist. Her two degrees, in fact, are in communications, which is the degree you take when you study public relations) who argues that pornography is an ‘erototoxin‘(that’s a word she made up) that damages the brain, impairing cognition and rational thought: I have uploaded this paper and you can read it Here. Quite frankly I think it is the biggest bunch of rubbish I have ever read, and I am not alone in that sentiment. You can read what Wiki has to say about it here.  I personally like this bit. Continue Reading »

Karen Charlton provided the background and identified the process that was utilized for public consultation in an effort to develop the proposed bylaw. Ben Bullock advised that the Land Use Bylaw would require an amendment in order to change the separation area between residences and adult businesses, in an effort to protect the children of the community. Commissioner Wanner advised that the attachment outlines the issues to be contained in the bylaw in order to move the process to the bylaw preparation stage. Mr. Dan Smith requested further information relating to the Amusements Act and the need to ensure that enforcement can occur. Ms Charlton advised that staff were working on this with the province and Alderman Friesen indicated that the item would be placed on the Police Commission Agenda for discussion at its upcoming meeting. Mr. Bullock advised that due to high workload and the complicated nature of this issue, the bylaw would be received for First Reading likely in July. Mrs. Joyce Stigter requested that a public education program be developed with respect to the Amusement Act. Committee members agreed. Continue Reading »

This letter from Joyce Stigter the President of CAPCS was sent to the Mayor on the 4th October 2006. It is a request that a Bylaw be considered by Council. Using the results of a badly flawed Survey conducted by CAPCS in 2005 as a reason for the request for a Bylaw. This Survey as previously mentioned in another post and on the website, should be invalidated, as CAPCS included materials and stores that were not part of the Goodwill Letter Initiative Continue Reading »

The Mad World of C.A.P.C.S.Medicine Hat

An organization C.A.P.C.S (Citizens for Alberta for positive community living) is getting a lot of attention in Medicine Hat. They have been successful in the past, in getting controversial sex trade By-Laws through City Hall. They are now on a mission to have City Hall draft a new Adult Materials By-Law. Although we have learned that magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Maxim, would be  Included in the proposed By-Law, and so must be placed under the counter side by side with real porn magazines. You can view more of their insane ramblings over at their  Bikini’s are Evil and must be Banned website.  

This letter was sent out to local businesses on April 16, 2003. First of all, let’s look at a very interesting Paragraph near the bottom of that letter. The whole letter is below.

“Lastly, you may be selling magazines which are not adult magazines as described above but which contain content designed for persons 18 years of age or older. In a further effort to protect children from unsuitable materials, Council asks for your cooperation by taking reasonable steps to control the display of such magazines in your store.”

Notice how vague the wording is. As of this time CAPCS have still not clarified to the local Business operators, what magazines they class as adult material in their Plain of existence. It is important to note that this Goodwill Letter was written and sent out by City Hall. However CAPCS have used the above paragraph to harass local business operators, and have also used these vague parameters in the “Survey” they presented to City Hall in November 2006.  As far as I can tell atm, there are 2 difrent copies of the Goodwill letter. The Original and a tweaked version. I will post all copies as soon as I get them. Continue Reading »

The following survey was carried out by CAPCS to gauge the compliance level of the Goodwill Letter, sent out to businesses in 2003. A few things to take into consideration when you read this.

1. CAPCS Surveyed Businesses that were never sent the Goodwill letter, because they fell outside the directives laid down in the Goodwill letter.
2. CAPCS definition of Adult Magazines/Adult Material differs from just about everybody else.
3. This survey was carried out with no clear definition from CAPCS as to what they actually consider Adult Magazines/Adult Material. 
4. We are still waiting for those definitions.
5. The above mentioned discrepancies are enough to invalidate the entire Survey  

Continue Reading »