Canadian society, attitudes and a culture of respect sure have progressed under “progressive” governments.
Public urination becomes a menace
By PAUL EVEREST
There is a smell wafting through parts of Halifax in the mornings.
It’s not bread baking and it’s not coffee brewing. It’s the odour of urine drying in alleyways, behind bushes and down stairwells.
Becky Mason, 21, has smelled it. She admits she has even contributed to it on a couple of occasions.
“It’s easy if you don’t have shame,” she said Friday night while waiting to enter Rain nightclub on Argyle Street.
Ms. Mason has relieved herself in alleys, beside buildings and in parks, often after an evening of drinking.
“I try to do it in not very obvious places.”
But most of the time she does not have a choice. She said that when she does try to find a restroom at late-night restaurants, there is often a lineup or a policy that the washrooms are for customers only.
Public urinating provoked national anger last week when three men were photographed urinating on the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Canada Day while drunk. Two of the men apologized for their actions, but a 23-year-old man from Montreal who did not say he was sorry was charged with mischief.
Some business owners are worried that this type of behaviour is becoming a problem here, especially at night when the bars close.
“It does happen, mostly with students and kids,” said Al Benoit, a manager at King of Donair on Grafton Street. “They’ve got a belly full of beer, it’s got to go somewhere.”
Mr. Benoit said he usually sees people urinating at the sides of buildings or in corners, but some people choose more open spaces as a bathroom.
“I mean, right in the middle of the street, I saw a woman pull down her panties and go in the middle of the street one night.” […]
Society should pay with their tax dollars to provide these respectful well-meaning folks with public toilets on every corner in case they want to leave the middle ages and join civilized society (when it suits them).
Coun. Dawn Sloane, (Halifax Downtown) said the city would give people more options, but public facilities are being treated badly.
Oh gosh who’d have thunk it?
Unfortunately, she said, people should not expect any new public washrooms for Halifax anytime soon as the city has spent too much money fixing damaged facilities. For Ms. Sloane, that won’t change until people become more considerate.
“If we’re going to have them, they should be treated with respect.”
Maybe it will just happen.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
Contact Mr. Johannesen about this article using this form. Please refer to article's title.
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