Hey, you kids, get off of our, er, streets..

"These are hoodlums out at two, three and four in the morning with big rocks in their hands smashing windows for no good reason...I think we need to look at a curfew and the implications of a curfew and as a city try and help these [store owners] out." – Councillor Ken Cote, expressing frustration at the random acts of vandalism in the city in the early morning hours.

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The prospect of a youth curfew has once again been introduced to Prince Rupert City council, as Councillor Ken Cote returned to that theme at this weeks City council meeting.

Councillor Cote expressed his concern over the increasing number of vandalism cases in the downtown area, and asked council to take an in-depth look at the option as a way of removing potential trouble makers from the streets late at night and providing some much sought assistance to the local business community which has suffered the brunt of the mindless activity.

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Cote offered up no recommendation on Monday night, as to any time line he might have in mind as to when the curfew would be in effect for local youth, nor was there an age suggestion made during the course of the discussion at council.

The Mayor for his part, offered up the comment that the majority of Prince Rupert’s youth are well behaved and that only a minority are causing trouble, while also pointing out that the curfew option could run into trouble with the national Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

City staff was tasked with the job of seeking out further information on the issue and present their findings to council at its next meeting on July 21st, at that meeting council is also requesting that the RCMP attend to provide an overview of the situation in the city when it comes to vandalism and youth issues.

The Northern View featured a report on the curfew possibilities posted to their website on Tuesday.


Council to look at a downtown curfew
By Shaun Thomas

The Northern View

Published: July 08, 2008 10:00 PM

Updated: July 09, 2008 7:56 AM

Prince Rupert city council has told staff to take an in-depth look at the possibility of a curfew in the downtown core as merchants in the area continue to face broken windows on a regular basis.
The issue was brought forward by councillor Ken Cote, who said he is increasingly concerned by the number and frequency of broken windows in the downtown core.

"The reports I get is that it happens around two or three in the morning by people that are 13, 14 or 15, and the RCMP get involved but can't do much because there are minors involved," he told council.

"These are hoodlums out at two, three and four in the morning with big rocks in their hands smashing windows for no good reason...I think we need to look at a curfew and the implications of a curfew and as a city try and help these [store owners] out."

Noting that the majority of youth in Prince Rupert are good and that it is a minority of people causing the problem, Mayor Herb Pond said other communities that have tried curfews have run into problems with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

"It's my understanding it is a violation of the charter to say that anyone under 18 has to be in at a certain time. It's age discrimination," he said.

Nonetheless council asked staff to look into the matter, and will be asking the RCMP to attend the next council meeting to provide feedback and information.

Look for more on this story in the July 16 issue of The Northern View.