CLOSE THE DOOR ON BROTHEL IDEA

Re: COPE councillor backs city-owned brothel, Nov. 10

Councillor Tim Louis is wrong in his recommendation for a city-owned
brothel. The idea of protecting sex-trade workers is a most worthy
cause, but his "solution" is not the answer.

Look at the record elsewhere. Hamburg, Germany, has licensed brothels
and medically certified prostitutes. Just outside the boundaries of
the so-called licensed zone, the Reperbahn, the streets are lined
with sex workers who are not licensed or medically monitored.

Vancouver will never be able to control how sex workers conduct their
business. It is time to do the things necessary to improve safety in
the city, not simply propose a red-light zone that will soon be an
area of decay like the Downtown Eastside and its institutionalized poverty.

The COPE/Vision mayoral candidate and councillors have brought us
tent cities, people harassing us on the street and dirty,
graffiti-lined walls and buildings. Vancouverites need to vote people
with this kind of nutso thinking out of office, and get councillors
who will clean up the city and provide a safer environment for everyone.

Bill Phelps

Vancouver