The Kelowna Cesspool

Well everyone seems overjoyed with the news that the Liquid Zoo's liquor license that was suspended has now been cancelled. This bar was associated with drugs and the Hells Angels. Three cheers. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Next stop: Tbarz.

Kelowna used to be such a nice place. In fact it still is. Yet many locals complain that the downtown core has turned into a cesspool of bikers, drugs and crime. Now there's nothing wrong with riding a motorcycle. But there is something wrong with committing crime. You'd think that people who spend that much time polishing wonderful motorcycles would spend a little time on personal hygiene. Some of them smell really bad.

Here in Vancouver we have Barwatch. People are not allowed to wear gang colours in a public bar. I hear Kelowna has the same thing. This is a good thing. It supports the constitutional obligation to provide public safety. Now I heard one province had a court decision that overturned their barwatch program. That was a crime. I can tell you it wasn't Ontario or Quebec where the many drug convictions of the Hells Angels have entrenched their criminal organization status into law which has been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Freedom of association is a charter right. That does not include the freedom to be a part of a criminal organization and the freedom to use that criminal association to harass or intimidate others.

Getting rid of bars and gyms that are owned by the Hells Angels is a start. Getting rid of bars and gyms that are run by the Hells Angels is another step since they will even go so far as putting their strip bar in their mother's name to avoid prosecution. Maintaining barwatch is another. Not letting gangs wear colours in public bars is essential.

Then comes control of the stripper agencies in BC. Speaking of idiots, take a look at CJ Barrowby. He's even on the Dirty. He was convicted of trafficking cocaine for the Hells Angels but now just runs a stripper agency for them. Why is it that the Hells Angels are allowed to own two stripper agencies and most of the strip bars in the province? One could argue that it's good for a criminal organization to branch out and do legal enterprises yet others contend that supports the illegal enterprises and lets them use the legal ones as a place to launder drug money.

Cleaning up any toxic spill is possible but will take time. Capping the oil leak is the first step. Pulling out the toxic waste one piece at a time is the next. We need to get rid of Tbarz in Surrey and we need to get the Hells Angels out of the stripper business in BC. Revoking licences is the way to do it. We can't do everything but we can do something.

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men and women to remain silent and do nothing."