TIM LOUIS SHOULD HAVE COURAGE OF CONVICTIONS

Vancouver Coun. Tim Louis's suggestion that the city should open a
non-profit brothel to help drug-addicted hookers has drawn
understandable cries of outrage.

And Louis's proposal was obviously poorly timed from a political
viewpoint. Which is why his party, COPE, took immediate steps to
distance itself from it.

But, given the current state of thinking at city hall, the suggestion
is perhaps not so far-fetched.

After all, the city is already involved in giving drug addicts a
"safe" place in which to shoot up. So why would it not do the same for
those in the sex trade?

Besides, as SFU prof John Lowman points out, it already licenses
body-rub parlours and escort services.

We don't agree with Louis's idea. But it's a pity he now seems to be
ducking further discussion about it.

Such a debate might have livened up what so far has been a rather dull
civic election campaign.