John loses sex trade challenge

[nd1]

Maple Ridge News, February 22, 2011

A court dismissed a charter challenge on Monday launched by a man arrested in sting targeting the sex trade in downtown Maple Ridge more than four years ago.

Provincial Court Judge George Angelomatis found Leslie Blais guilty of communicating for the purpose of prostitution and handed him a $1 fine.

Angelomatis praised Blais’s challenge to Section 213 of the Criminal Code – a court battle that’s taken almost five years.

“By putting himself in this position, it deserves some leniency,” Angelomatis said before handing Blais the nominal fine.

Blais, a construction foreman from Maple Ridge, believes prostitution laws contribute to the physical harm, abuse and murder of sex trade workers and challenged their constitutionality under of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Blais argued he should be acquitted because the law he was charged under is unconstitutional.

It is the first such challenge brought forward by a john – a man who uses the services of prostitutes.

Blais was arrested in May 2006 in a sting conducted by the Ridge Meadows RCMP. The 45-year-old man tried to pick up a female RCMP officer who was posing as a prostitute.

Instead of pleading guilty or attending “john school” like most men arrested in the sting, Blais decided to challenge the solicitation law, saying it violated prostitutes’ rights because it made their work more dangerous.

As the case proceeded through court, expert witnesses, including Simon Fraser University criminologist John Lowman, were called to testify. One of Canada’s leading experts on prostitution, Lowman reluctantly testified that his research found an increase in violence against sex trade workers since the new law came into effect.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Campbell argued that neither Lowman nor defence presented evidence that show a connection between the solicitation law and displacement of sex trade workers to isolated areas or how it prevented them from screening potential violent clients.

“No one in this room wants street prostitutes to be subjected to violence that they are subjected to,” said Campbell. “But we are not policy makers. We are not legislators and we are not here to speculate on how it might be best to deal with prostitution. As a court of law, all this court can do is apply the law.”

Campbell noted the defence was relying on evidence presented in a landmark Ontario court case, which eventually led to three major anti-prostitution laws being struck down last year. “Parliament does not have the obligation to protect those who violate otherwise valid laws,” she added.

Blais isn’t fazed by losing the charter challenge in provincial court. He decided to fight the case because he once worked in a downtown Vancouver restaurant frequented by prostitutes. He saw the violence the women were subjected to and got to know them as people.

His lawyer Ray Chouinard confirmed Blais will most likely pursue an appeal. “When he first he started this, he said he was willing to take this all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada,” Chouinard added.

 

[susi]

so cool!! now there's a trooper!!i hope he wins!

love susie

 

[papillion]

Mr. Blais is a man of princples, Hope he wins.

 

[maroonedsailor]

so cool!! now there's a trooper!!i hope he wins!

love susie

If he's going to take it to the supreme court he'll need money and I suggest setting up a fund that we can all contribute to - Susie? help me out here as to how such a thing could be structured and made to work.......

 

[storm rider]

OK obviously this guy is not married LOL.....a part of me says pay the $1 fine and be done with it and yet another part of me says keep fighting the system as the $1 fine was pretty much an easy out for the justice system that does not want to lose in a higher court......all I can say is this guy has brass balls to have gone this far and I would like to see him win.

SR

 

[WreckBeach]

Kudos to this fellow. It should be interesting to see how this unfolds in the time to come.

 

[susi]

If he's going to take it to the supreme court he'll need money and I suggest setting up a fund that we can all contribute to - Susie? help me out here as to how such a thing could be structured and made to work.......

we could run the fund cooperatively, by that i mean under the umbrella of the cooperative corporation. we could set up a small board and accept donations through our website and bank...?it would be simple to distinguish what donations were for what, we just get people to put a note along with their contribution and paypal takes care of the rest, we can exactly how much was donated, each donation seperately, deposite it in our bank and then with draw or transfer to this brave man.

it would take a couple of meetings, either on line or in person,some of us would have to meet in person to ensure we are all comfortable with transparency in accounting for funds donated....i don't want to be in charge on my own, i need some one else to be part of it for the sake again of transparency.i am sure many of us remember giving money in the past only to discover some kind of scam was actually under way.

if we want to do this i can help and take part,but we need to be sure we are protected from any of the past problems we've had as a community when we try to raise money. i just want people to feel comfortable with how we do it and make sure the money gets where it needs to go.

let me know, whatever i can do! you can see the coop website and donation structure here www.wccsip.ca , we could add a seperate section specifically for this intitiative, my aunt is in charge of updating the site and rocks!!

love susieXXXO

 

[maroonedsailor]

ok - maybe I'm nuts but I was thinking about a website and facebook page and newspaper coverage etc. plus some kind of a way to let people make anonymous donations - you know - democracy in action!!!

we could run the fund cooperatively, by that i mean under the umbrella of the cooperative corporation. we could set up a small board and accept donations through our website and bank...?it would be simple to distinguish what donations were for what, we just get people to put a note along with their contribution and paypal takes care of the rest, we can exactly how much was donated, each donation seperately, deposite it in our bank and then with draw or transfer to this brave man.

it would take a couple of meetings, either on line or in person,some of us would have to meet in person to ensure we are all comfortable with transparency in accounting for funds donated....i don't want to be in charge on my own, i need some one else to be part of it for the sake again of transparency.i am sure many of us remember giving money in the past only to discover some kind of scam was actually under way.

if we want to do this i can help and take part,but we need to be sure we are protected from any of the past problems we've had as a community when we try to raise money. i just want people to feel comfortable with how we do it and make sure the money gets where it needs to go.

let me know, whatever i can do! you can see the coop website and donation structure here www.wccsip.ca , we could add a seperate section specifically for this intitiative, my aunt is in charge of updating the site and rocks!!

love susieXXXO

 

[susi]

we can totally do that MS, we just need to set up some governance for the money to make sure no one person is in charge. problems with donations through perb in the past is why i say this.

the coop is set up to do just that, provide governance structure and we have a donate button and bank account already in place.

we could create the content for facebook, a seperate page on the coop website, do a press release(we have friends in the canadian press corp) and put out a call to support this guy...

alternatively, we could contact him directly and have him set up a paypal account and just help him to raise funds by facebooking, press releases, whatever....

maybe some one should try to contact him with our idea and see if he is into it or even wants our support..?

i dunno...

love susieXXXO

 

[maroonedsailor]

For sure contacting him is necessary since we have to know how to give him whatever support we can. The reason I think this is so important is that while we are all happily cuddling and snuggling in our shared fantasy world, the religious right is pressing ahead with their agenda to put us into pilories and throw rotten tomatoes (or rocks?) at us. This seems like a huge opportunity to maintain some kind of balance between us and those who think they have the right (morally and legally) to run our lives. I say it's time for a provolution - we support freedom of expression, the right to use our minds and bodies as we wish, honesty and integrity in matters of the heart and so on - Do we have a manifesto or do we not?
Googled him just now with no good result but his lawyer Ray Chouinard could be easily contacted.

we can totally do that MS, we just need to set up some governance for the money to make sure no one person is in charge. problems with donations through perb in the past is why i say this.

the coop is set up to do just that, provide governance structure and we have a donate button and bank account already in place.

we could create the content for facebook, a seperate page on the coop website, do a press release(we have friends in the canadian press corp) and put out a call to support this guy...

alternatively, we could contact him directly and have him set up a paypal account and just help him to raise funds by facebooking, press releases, whatever....

maybe some one should try to contact him with our idea and see if he is into it or even wants our support..?

i dunno...

love susieXXXO

 

[susi]

so, do you want me to contact him...?is that the idea?then i could discuss option with him for support? and report back?

am on it!!
love susie

 

[way.tomuch]

Sounds like a hell of a deal...

 

[maroonedsailor]

Hugs babe - you're the best - should we start a seperate thread for fundraising and awareness?

so, do you want me to contact him...?is that the idea?then i could discuss option with him for support? and report back?

am on it!!
love susie

 

[maroonedsailor]

bump - this is too important to let slide folks - any news Susie?

 

[treveller]

Sending my donation now

I think donations should go through the WCCSIP. This is about politics as much as law and there is political value in promoting the COOP. The prohibitionists have their churches and that organizational structure impresses the politicians. The COOP can serve the same purpose.

Legally, I expect Leslie Blais' challenge is redundant. With a $1 fine he effectivly won his case and told the world he is a proud client/john. The legal issue will be settled by the Supreme Court of Canada in response to the BC and Ontario cases well underway and his case would be held in abeyance or attached as a footnote while the other cases are decided.

On the other hand, his case might significantly support the other cases as he is raising the challenge from a new perspective that may be legally relevant. Questions for the lawyers perhaps.

Politically I think it would be great to support his challenge and I am sending a donation to WCCSIP with the following note; "Donation in support of Leslie Blais or the WCCSIP at the discretion of the WCCSIP." If he wants support for his challenge of the law WCCSIP can provide it and I will make another donation to WCCSIP later. Otherwise I will have done my year's donation to WCCSIP.

 

[maroonedsailor]

Clear thinking - I do believe that massive media pressure will affect the political side of the legal challenges as the law is clearly in favor of individual rights (IMHO) and I think that public opinion and political will are going bias the final outcome, especially if that involves new legislation at the parliamentary level. The business community and religious right in the USA has been grinding away at the Constitution and bill of Rights for 200 years with what I think are devastating results and although our constitution is far newer the process has already begun and I don't see it slowing down. All it requires for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

I think donations should go through the WCCSIP. This is about politics as much as law and there is political value in promoting the COOP. The prohibitionists have their churches and that organizational structure impresses the politicians. The COOP can serve the same purpose.

Legally, I expect Leslie Blais' challenge is redundant. With a $1 fine he effectivly won his case and told the world he is a proud client/john. The legal issue will be settled by the Supreme Court of Canada in response to the BC and Ontario cases well underway and his case would be held in abeyance or attached as a footnote while the other cases are decided.

On the other hand, his case might significantly support the other cases as he is raising the challenge from a new perspective that may be legally relevant. Questions for the lawyers perhaps.

Politically I think it would be great to support his challenge and I am sending a donation to WCCSIP with the following note; "Donation in support of Leslie Blais or the WCCSIP at the discretion of the WCCSIP." If he wants support for his challenge of the law WCCSIP can provide it and I will make another donation to WCCSIP later. Otherwise I will have done my year's donation to WCCSIP.

 

[susi]

ok,i spoke to his lawyer and he was excited to hear from us. he expressed how difficult it had been as a lawyer to deal with adversity he faced for defending a sex consumer.

i told him who i was and that we were greatful and that the community of sex workers and consumers had expressed an interest in supporting this guy with a legal fund. i explained the cooperative, our donation button and bank accounts and that we maybe able to set up a way to contribute to his clients court costs and he was, to say the least elated.

he expressed that his client is not a man of huge wealth and that the cost or transcripts and case filing costs were definitely a barrier.

DO NOT SEND DONATIONS YET!!!! DO NOT SEND MONEY!!!!!

the lawyer obviously needs to converse with his client and get his consent. then i will have to meet with them and show them our paper work for the coop,or even perhaps consider another way they could receive the money directly ...rather than the coop middle man.

we need to make sure this guy wants to be our "man out front" before we over whelm him or put him in a position that makes him more uncomfortable.

the coop respects confidentiality however and we are more than willing to be the facilitators of this action. i have to say,youse guys are makin'me proud!!!

i will keep you all updated as this progresses, i hope this is good news and makes people excited...it makes me excited!!i don't care how the laws come down, as long as they come down!!!

sorry to be so long in replying but i have been running hard with the documentry folks for 3 days, it has to be said that the were really helpful in getting through to the lawyer. i called the law offices and spoke to a few people but had not spoken to anyone with authority...i don't think they knew what to make of me!!lol...who's this crazy sex worker...and...she...isn't being mean to us...sweet!!

any how, we are in contact now and it seems our support will be welcome!!

am totally fashed and vashed from filming so am going to relax and crash!!
g'night vancouver!!i will update as soon as i hear anything!!

love susieXXXO

ps-treveller-i have received your donation!!and the printed material you sent for our rabble rousing in vancouver...its a bit of a secret butpromises to be disruptive to the max!!!!

 

[maroonedsailor]

You, darlin girl are awesome - PM me about the documentary ok? I'd love to know more about it. Re: the legal challenge - if I can be of any help writing articles or whatever do let me know. It's time the churchies realize that God loves ALL his children - even the ones that pass judgement on others in spite of his strice admonition not to do so.