Lou

Texas Life Always anti-choice group billboard "The most dangerous place for an African American is in the Womb" set up in NY last week - coinciding with Black History Month - will be taking off the street. Should I celebrate because we "wan" over this monstrosity or just drink to the fact that I once believed the fight for abortion was history? Harper's has not given women a break with abortion since he got elected. It is constant in his program. He is a religious man with moral conservative values and belief. Some famous canadian Evangelists leaders have a special access to the Parlement provided by Harper's gang whom the Preachers visit on a regurlar basis (CBC news recently). A research revealed that Atheists are untrusted by Americans more than they untrust muslim, gays, recent immigrants, etc. That says a lot. Religion is ubiquitous I'm afraid. Pic of the Bilboard http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/billboard-opposing-abortion-stirs-debate/ News about Removing http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/anti-abortion-billboard-to-be-removed/?scp=1&sq=billboard%20removed%20NY%20abortion&st=cse Atheist Research http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/09/19/research-finds-that-atheists-are-most-hated-and-distrusted-minority/

Erin, and everyone else concern by the amount of time Republican American politicians spend fighting to abolish women's right to a safe abortion, here is an illustrated Résumé by the Huff Post of the different bills proposed, or voted, in both Federal and State legislatures in the past year. Scary shit. Erin, try not to eat while you read it. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/25/reproductive-rights-restriction-efforts_n_828482.html#s245373&title=Iowa_Bill_Allows

I love the trailer and pics! What is your point of view on this matter? http://www.thecnnnews.com/anna-nicole-smith-subject-of-controversial-opera-in-london/

I never had any language issues with clients. I am fluent in 3 languages, I guess it helps. However, one thing that surprises me is that I am never asked by anglophone clients to talk dirty in French! One would have believe that listening to a woman whisper (or be directive:)) in French, especially for an anglo, is a common fantasy.

Yes Berlin, that is also how we feel here in Montreal. Some of the women I have been celebrating with have been fighting for sex workers right for almost 2 decades. They have seen and heard it all: from being called dirty whores in the papers to sperm container in feminist meetings, reading that judgment coming from a woman of authority was the best gift we could have. We are overwhelmed, the judgment is GREAT. Of course we know how law works, we are not stupid, we know it is not over, that there will probably be 2 more trials, then rewrite the laws, bylwas, etc... but please, let us have our fun now, we deserve it. More Champagne please! Thank you:) Lou

Here it is, on CBC, right of the article you will find the link for the PDF. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/09/28/prostitution-law028.html

Nikki, just a world to let you know all in Toronto that I am here in Montreal with a bunch of SP friends and activists and we are so happy, crying out of hapiness!!! Bravo to all of you who had the courage to fight the laws in Court, it is not easy, it takes time, determination, courage, wow! Sincerly, thank you:):) Lou and many many others xoxoxoxoxoxo

Hello everyone, As claimed on SPOC website, the court opinion is coming out tomorrow Tuesday 28. Also tomorrow, press conference by SPOC at 2H30. But, as Alan Young (the attorney representing the women) reminds us, it will go on appeal either way. He also says that a successful challenge will lead to de facto to decriminalization of prostitution but the provincial government could then step in to regulate the industry. Some regulations might arise, they could be draconian or fair. The main objective of the challenge is to remove the threat of criminal law for people engaged in the sex-trade and to improve their safety. Stay tune! Lou

I know of some flight attendants who are (or were) also independent SP. Not a lot, just a few. It is a mistake to believe that flight attendants are always gone somewhere around the world. They have limited working hours permitted by aviation's laws. Depending on which company they work for and of their seniority, they can have short back and forth flights, they can pick flights that provide them 4 days free in Paris, Rome, Tokyo, etc. Some of these women work as SP in their hometown, others visit gentlemen overboard that they first meet while working from their own country. It is not common but it is not nonexistant neither. They are probably more students that are also SP than flight attendants: stick to the school girl fantasy instead:) Lou

Mc Lovin, why in the hell did i taught it was Leonard Cohen who had written this great song? It is not even his voice... Did a google search to found out that it is a widely spread mistake, thanks for enlightening me and maybe others!

Cleo Catra, I guess that if we were a couple, we wouldn't fight much over what to watch on TV! That said, I don't own a TV so maybe we would fight over getting one or not:)

Olivia Newton John Let's get Physical

Twin Peaks Music by Angelo Badalament, voice Julle Cruise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36_vlZha7bg Six Feet Under, music by Thomas Newman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD7nRBWeVgM&feature=fvsr Once upon a time in the west, music by Ennio Morricon M.A.S.H. Suicide is Painless by Johnny Mandel (music) and Mike Altman (lyrics) South Park Theme by Primus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRx54mUaBUE

Great! Where did you find it? The designer or whoever that is had a great flash!

Anyone of you ever watched Isabella Rossellini Green Porno clips? They are great, I love that woman! Enjoy!!!

Oui WrinkledinTime, I agree and expressed what your are saying in less eloquant words in my earlier post. Once the Court struck down the actual laws, it will be the legislative turn -but they wont be able to go against the Constitution and they can't neither leave this whole industry in a "juridique void" for ever. Plus, prostitution is not illegal. The recent surveys I heard of also show that the population is in (weak but still) majority in favor of "legalisation" but not necessarily for the street girls. This is one more reason why the sex workers advocates and public health people should be consulted. Do you believe sex work will be decriminalize before "assisted suicide - euthanasia" ? Which one will be the last political taboo? :)

I understand what you are all saying but you also got to understand that the changes wont come from the government, who ever that government is. Such as gay mariage, it is an issue that has to be address in court FIRST via a Constitutional challenge such as it is happening now in Toronto and Vancouver. If the Supreme court declares that the Criminal code dispostitions regarding prostitution are depriving sex workers of their fundamental rights, the government will have no choice but to abolish the existing laws and rewrite them in respect of the Constitution. These law cases are only beginning. When you undertake a fight like this, you have to know that it takes on average from 6 to 8 years for the Supreme court to hear you. The actual cases are now in provincial courts, it will take many more years until it gets at the summit of the courts hierarchy. The gay wed cases were first brought to inferior courts in 1998 (or 99 if I am not mistaking). It went faster to Supreme Court that it was supposed to because the liberal governement asked directly to the court if, according to the judges, the Constitution prohibits gay marriage (actually they asked 4 questions but no need to get into the details here). The court said No. When the gay mariage got debated in Parlement and in Supreme court, the population was, by a majority of 52% in favor of it. The jugdment was unanimous, all judges stated in favor of it. FYI, the Liberals had included in their 1993 program civil mariage for homosexual. It has been one of their promises since then. This question is not one of morality, it is a Constitutional question so it is the Constitution that will give the answer, not Harper, not Ignatieff or who ever will be there at the time. The politicians write the laws, they don't decide if their laws are legit or not, it is the Supreme court judges main job to do so when asked. Sorry about my english, not easy to discuss this topic in another language than my maternal one.

We don't need official lobbying and tones of money if the Supreme Court opinion is that the laws are indeed unconstitutional. We need money to get to Supreme court, lawyers on this case are not pro bono! FYI, the fed government always had special commissions on prostitution. Sex workers organizations around Canada are or have been involved in these working groups. To get the ideal law project like New Zealand has, it will take us more work simply because we are a way larger country, more people to convince, etc. I know that the leader of the sex workers group in New Zealand had family in the Government and one politician was an out ex-prostitute. It helps for sure! The first thing is to have the Supreme court recognizing that the laws are unconstitutional. Afterward, the regulations and laws will need to be rewrite in consideration of the court opinion. This is where the SP's and the social organizations that have worked with us should take a special role in. This is what we need to lobby for. In my opinion, the Supreme court have been pretty decent in its judgments. If Harper does not stay in power too long - which means he will not have another opportunity to appoint a judge - I think we have good chances of winning such as gay mariage, lap dancing clubs and swapper clubs did. Our Court is pretty liberal regarding these issues.

Finally some good news: Published this am, an Ekos survey ordered by CBC is now showing that the Conservative are going down, not down the drain yet but still, we have a little hope here!!! Additional Comments: Yes, I did read the judgments about swapping clubs and lap dancing which also makes me believe that the Chart challenges have chances of succeeding. My only fear is that the women involved in these challenges won't be recognized by the judges as plaintiffs because they don't work anymore, one is a Misstress not a prostitute and the others in BC are doing it anonymously. It takes a lot of courage, time, efforts, convictions and energy to fight the laws, they have all my respect for doing so.

As we all testified yesterday, with the present laws, they can allready manage to be more severe. If the Supreme Court determines that the actual laws are unconstitutionnal, there are no ways the legislative will be able to make striker laws. More power might be given to the cities in order for them to create zones for specific activities but not necessarly to all activitites that involved sex in exchange of money. Such as they did in progressive New Zealand, the key to a decent change that corresponds to the needs of the industry is to have sex workers consulted and listened to when the bylaws, the regulations and the laws will be rethink and rewrote.

Harper has already been elected twice. The one's who are too lazy to get of their coutch on election day deserve what they get. If Harper's first years at the Parlement was not a sufficiant motivation for those who take democracy for granted to take 30 minutes of their time to vote, it means that people are as fatuous as he is. Furthermore, him and his troup are doing harm every day to our civil and fundamental rights but very few seem to care or even get it. Surveys show he is still very popular and it is impossible to know yet if he will be reelected or not. Rickoshadows, you are claiming that a significant number of cerb members believe in statu quo regarding the law? What are their arguments? Girls who don't wish paying income taxe and clients who are scared of seing a price boum? Are people that selfish and insouciant or there is something else? I don't get it.

I am totally with you on that Erin, dividing us based on "class" or whatever other reasons is pointless. We are all offering sexual services in exchange of a remuneration. What I appreciate about the New Zealand Prostitution Act is that street prostitutes are not criminalized. Instead, the act encourage police, health services, social organizations and municipalities to collaborate in order to provide effective supports to these women often facing personnal struggles such as drug addictions, roaming and mental health. As The San Francisco Exotic Dancers Alliance was saying: "United We Stand, Divided We Bend Over."

Sorry to contradict you Lindsay but my understanding of what is happening is not exactly how you portrait it. The new Regulations prescribing certain offences to be serious offences is of federal jurisdiction, not provincial, which means it applies all over Canada. By classifying of serious offencethe keeping of a common bawdy-house (subsection 210(1) and paragraph 210(2)(c)), keeping a bawdy-house, when suspected of being kept by 3 individuals, now falls under crimes regulated by the dispositions regarding organized crime. This means that keeping a bawdy-house can now be punished of a minimum five years sentence and plus, that people suspected of these activities can be wiretap, found guilty of organized crime, etc. Now, if you look through some court decisions, a woman who was working from her apartment on a regular basis was convicted of keeping a bawdy-house (1972), etc. This means, as an exemple, that if you, me and another lady decide to share a flat for incalls, we could be convicted of being a "criminal organization" perpetrating an "organized crime" because we are 3 individuals practicing a lucrative activity that is prohibited and now qualified of serious offence - which are the criteria used by justices to determine if an act qualify of organized crime. Of course discreet independent escorts are not authorities number one priority. Nevertheless, I have no doubt this new regulation can hit in places where it should not. In my humble opinion, it is also a way to enforce all laws surrounding prostitution. Our right wing minority government dislike all kind of prostitution and makes no discrimination when it comes to define who is a prostitute or not, whatever you define yourself as (street hooker, courtisane, escort...). Their douchebags jesus freak supporters all over Canada think the same way and lots of them are elected or powerful policeman with too much time on their hands. To what I know, sex workers groups are, in part, fighting to abolish the existing disposition regarding bawdy-house in order for us to be able to work as groups in safe environments, share fees... while sparing us facing criminal charge. I find this news quite depressing. However, I still have hope that the constitutional challenges in Ontario and Vancouver will put an end to that nonsense. FYI: This new regulation does not need to be vote. Since 2002, right after september 11, the Chamber voted in favor of permetting the elected government to pass new regulations concerning criminal offences without having them debate and voted by the majority. http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2010/2010-08-04/html/sor-dors161-eng.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Canada#197_Bawdy_house_definition Additional Comments: Sorry, i guess i was replying at the same time than you both.

Kyra, ever watched Peaches covering Alanis covering the Balck Eyed Peas?

Old Dog, thanks for Devo covering the Stones, had totally forgot about it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlddwLtuJds Misstress Barbara covering Leonard Cohen- Dance Me Till The End Of Love Too drunk to fuck - original Dead Kennedys - covered by Nouvelle Vague Somewhere over the rainbow by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole