Protesters gather at Piccini’s office over Bill 6

Protesters gather outside Northumberland-Peterborough MPP David Piccini’s Port Hope office Thursday, opposed to Bill 6. Photo by: Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM, LJI

By: Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM News, Local Journalism Initiative.

Port Hope

Approximately 35 people gathered outside Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini’s Port Hope constituency office Thursday afternoon to protest the passage of Bill 6, the Safer Municipalities Act.

The proposed legislation, currently at Second Reading aims to prohibit the consumption of illegal substances in a public place.

“A police officer or prescribed provincial offences officer may issue directions to a person if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is consuming an illegal substance in a public place,” states the legislation. “A person convicted of an offence is liable to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.”

Activists state this legislation seeks to criminalize homelessness.

“It further criminalizes them [marginalized people], rather than offering them anything to address the root issues of what they’re experiencing,” said protest organizer and member of the Encampment Justice Coalition Missy McLean.

She is calling on the province to invest more into affordable housing, and increased social service programs, which McLean states would combat homelessness.

Law enforcement are given broad discretion in how they resolve potential infractions.

“The person may be directed to cease consuming the illegal substance in the public place. The person may be directed to leave the public place. Finally, the person may be directed to provide their full name, date of birth and address. The officer may also seize, remove and destroy substances they reasonably believe to be illegal substances. Seized substances may be submitted for analysis by designated analysts,” the legislation said.

Chance Brown, a person with lived experience, wants the Bill totally abolished, asserting it targets people on the edge of homelessness.

“I shouldn’t be going to jail because I’m homeless.” “Someone could lose their job, someone could lose their partner and not afford their rent and become homeless.”

Piccini, who is also the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development was not in his office, rather at Queen’s Park. His office did not provide an immediate response to the protest.

The legislation could pass as early as next week. “Housing solves homelessness, punishment does not,” McLean said.