who would go to court for their mp?

[r100rs 859]

I have a favourite mp with an upcoming court case for solicitation. I know her very well and am certain that she does not solicit but always waits for the client to do the solicitation. I was thinking of offering myself up as a character witness as to her behaviour when I was getting a massage(ie. she never solicited me - which is true ... I would never perjure myself ).

 

opinions?

 

r100rs

[esoterica 624]

I have a favourite mp with an upcoming court case for solicitation. I know her very well and am certain that she does not solicit but always waits for the client to do the solicitation. I was thinking of offering myself up as a character witness as to her behaviour when I was getting a massage(ie. she never solicited me - which is true ... I would never perjure myself ).

 

opinions?

 

r100rs

 

If you can take the publicity, it's an admirable thing to do. Ask her to ask her lawyer if it would work.

[o*****j***e 136]

Very interesting. If you have nothing to lose by doing this, go for it.

[hunter08 182]

if you figuire it will help her out go for it they all need a little help sometimes and maybe you'll get a reward later on

[Narman 117]

I have a favourite mp with an upcoming court case for solicitation. I know her very well and am certain that she does not solicit but always waits for the client to do the solicitation. I was thinking of offering myself up as a character witness as to her behaviour when I was getting a massage(ie. she never solicited me - which is true ... I would never perjure myself ).

 

opinions?

 

r100rs

 

It would be a very noble/generous thing for you to do, though if it's who I'm thinking of, you may be "exposed" since the media seems to already stepped over a few boundaries in the case i'm thinking of. But like I said it would be very noble and generous. Maybe you could get her lawyer to ask the judge to grant a media ban on your name, since of course you were a straight customer, and if she were to be found guilty it would damage your reputation. Though as far as perjury goes what would you answer if you were asked by the prosecutor "have you ever had sexual relations/contact with the accused?"......this is tough! I hope you can make the best decision that you can make.......but yeah, though.

Good luck man.

Narman

 

p.s. If you end up in the paper I'll look you up and take you for a beer.

[frankfurt 261]

I doubt that a "character" witness will be of any assistance here. The burden is on the crown to establish that she "solicited". If they have evidence that she solicited anyone, even once, that's enough to get a conviction. Your testimony or that of 20 other guys saying she never solicited them is not a defence to the charges.

 

I think you'd really be exposing yourself for no reason.

[brandi 231]

One thing you probably have already realized is you should think long term. Down the road if you ever end up in court for anything else this is on a record. Also I don?t know your situation but say 10 years down the road you get married and your SO finds out that could be a problem too. However everyone needs a friend like you as what would life be with out the kindness people like yourself. Your kindness and thoughtfulness is what makes life worth living.

[Guest S***e]

I think Frankfurt and Brandi's advice is right on the money. Although your intentions are honourable your attending as character witness on her behalf would be pointless. If you get caught once for speeding, plead not guilty and bring in a long line of character witnesses who testify that you never exceeded the speed limit while they were in the car with you in the past wouldn't result in the charges being dismissed in this one instance where you did exceed the speed limit right? Save yourself the grief.

[Krusty 473]

My advice is to not do it unless you are one of dozens, if not hundreds of clients. A single person stating she does not solicit is not going to be enough to counter one person that says she did.

 

I don't mean to be cold, and I hope your friend is acquitted, but the reality is that MP's see dozens of people per week. If the one cop (or whatever) went in and says they were solicited, then your word alone won't be enough.

[waterrat 1261]

I agree with what has been said above, character witnesses are really only useful at sentencing (and hopefully for the SP it will not get there).

 

What we really need is people to stand up to say that our laws are out of date and need reform. That will help all the ladies and men involved in the business. In the 1960's the federal Minister of Justice said that the State had no place in the bedrooms of the nation (sodomy was legalized). Now we need to say that the State has no place in the sexual relations of the citizens. Forced work (sex work or any other work) is wrong - that is slavery, we abolished that centuries ago in Ontario. But "Common Bawdy Houses" (who but an MP speaks like that) and living off the avails and communicating for the purposes... look if traffic is an issue give a ticket for stopping in a no stopping zone.

 

I doubt that many women want to work on the street. It is cold out there. It can be dangerous. But our prudish laws have done nothing to stop it - in fact by closing brothels they encourage it. Perhaps as we approach a gender balanced Supreme Court there may be some change but that will take years. It is time for MP's to do something that will really help women - abolish these 19th century laws. That would be better than another unnecessary election and "locking out" Parliament when defeat seemed inevitable.

 

Sorry for the rant but something needs to be done. :!:

[Seymour 3970]

Perhaps as we approach a gender balanced Supreme Court there may be some change but that will take years. It is time for MP's to do something that will really help women - abolish these 19th century laws. That would be better than another unnecessary election and "locking out" Parliament when defeat seemed inevitable.

 

Sorry for the rant but something needs to be done. :!:

 

MPs left to their own devices will not do anything about this topic. To get any visibility, one will have to light a fire under their butts -so to speak. In the current political environment -one of self preservation and economic stability, there will likely be reduced focus on these less perceived social topics.

[waterrat 1261]

MPs left to their own devices will not do anything about this topic. To get any visibility, one will have to light a fire under their butts -so to speak. In the current political environment -one of self preservation and economic stability, there will likely be reduced focus on these less perceived social topics.

 

Seymour,

 

I agree with you - in fact Parliamentarians only react to what they see as the general public sentiment. They do not show any leadership. So we tend to have government by crisis. If Leger were to do a poll and it showed resoundingly that Canadians found the current laws to discriminate against women and should be changed we might see a change. As you say that will not happen with the current Parliament.

[slurp 7020]

I'm thinking that you're talking about the Jan 9 case and hoping you're talking about someone I'm VERY concerned about. I'd love to know what happened at that hearing so if you or anyone else has any news I'd be grateful.

 

And what did the original poster decide to do? I agree it was a noble thought and had considered it myself. Unfortunately I could not expose myself but still have an open offer to help however I can.

 

I'm talking about Mary/Cathy/Lucy formerly of 386 Bank. A very dear friend who I am just sick thinking about how unfair it is for her to be caught up in all this.

[VedaSloan 119179]

I agree with what has been said above, character witnesses are really only useful at sentencing (and hopefully for the SP it will not get there).

 

What we really need is people to stand up to say that our laws are out of date and need reform. That will help all the ladies and men involved in the business. In the 1960's the federal Minister of Justice said that the State had no place in the bedrooms of the nation (sodomy was legalized). Now we need to say that the State has no place in the sexual relations of the citizens. Forced work (sex work or any other work) is wrong - that is slavery, we abolished that centuries ago in Ontario. But "Common Bawdy Houses" (who but an MP speaks like that) and living off the avails and communicating for the purposes... look if traffic is an issue give a ticket for stopping in a no stopping zone.

 

I doubt that many women want to work on the street. It is cold out there. It can be dangerous. But our prudish laws have done nothing to stop it - in fact by closing brothels they encourage it. Perhaps as we approach a gender balanced Supreme Court there may be some change but that will take years. It is time for MP's to do something that will really help women - abolish these 19th century laws. That would be better than another unnecessary election and "locking out" Parliament when defeat seemed inevitable.

 

Sorry for the rant but something needs to be done. :!:

 

There are people trying to change the laws and by-laws surrounding prostitution in Canada. POWER is one of them. The sad fact is that only 5-20% of sex workers are street workers and that is the group that is targeted the most by the police and morality groups, because they are the most visible.

 

Also there is a new law, SCAN (safer communities and neighbourhoods act) which is a provincial private members bill sponsored by Ottawa-Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi. It would allow municipalities to appoint a Director to investigate residents based on anonymous complaints and seek their removal without a hearing before the Landlord and Tenant Board.

 

This is so obviously targeting pros and completing subverting your rights.

[cat 262460]

Testifying would need to be considered carefully from a personal position and then it would be up to her lawyer. When I had all my trouble several clients were willing but my lawyer felt it wouldn't help. What did help was some unexpected financial help when I least expected it. These court issues take money. The even higher price is the mental and emotional focus that gets thrown out of kilter. Working is difficult because getting your balance after you've had the rug pulled out from underneath you is such a challenge. Being arrested shakes your sense of security and that throws everything else off for a bit.

Anyone who genuinely wants to help this girl out...put some cash in an envelope and make arrangements to drop it off...no strings attached. The first time it happened I was broke with no way of earning anything and an acquaintance slipped $50 into my hand. I cried. Later envelopes arrived at my lawyers office from numerous people and to this day my faith in the goodness of people is the foundation of my being. I don't know what I would have done without these acts of kindness.

Being a guardian angel has its benefits...

Catherine

[waterrat 1261]

The SCAN Bill has been referred to the Justice policy Committee of the Ontario Legislature. Hopefully the Civil Liberties Association will speak up. In my view this a) violates the Charter, b) is thinly disguised attempt to legislate criminal law - a federal responsibility and c) is so vague as to be unenforceable. The MPP should know better - he is a lawyer by training - shame on him.