Showdown in Saskatoon

The Municipal Government of saskatoon has told all the adult businesses to leave downtown and move to the industrial section of town. One business called Farmer's Daughters has indicated it will do so.

Legally this action by the city can be challenged. The city cant rule on marality issues. That is a Federal juristiction.

From The Star Phoenix

The owner of a Saskatoon exotic dancing business is considering fighting the newly minted licensing bylaw for adult services, arguing it is discriminatory.

"We provide entertainment, not sexual favours," said Bella Kaje, owner of KJ's Party Favors, a self-described "erotic entertainment" business that hires out dancers for parties.

"I don't like what they're categorizing us with. It's wrong and the fact they're trying to control everything they do by charging us these obscene amounts (for a licence) is more segregation and it's more discrimination."

The bylaw defines an adult service as "any service of an adult nature appealing to or designed to appeal to erotic or sexual appetites or inclinations." The bylaw covers businesses or individuals that provide a service, not retail or movie stores.

Alan Wallace, manager of planning and development for the city, says an exotic dancing business fits under the definition of an adult service. The broad purpose of the bylaw is to give police a tool to ensure workers in the industry are of age and legally in Canada, particularly with escorts increasingly advertising online.

"This business is indeed captured (under the bylaw)," Wallace said.

"What we're trying to do is ... make sure they don't have 15-year-olds in front of men performing a striptease," Wallace added.

Kaje said her business is trying to erase the stigma associated with striptease in Saskatchewan. The province also bans stripping anywhere there is a liquor licence.

An adult service agency licence, which came into effect last week, will cost $500 and an additional $200 for each renewal. The licence will cost $250, plus $100 for each renewal, for adult service performers -- the people actually providing the adult service to another person -- and adult service workers, such as drivers and receptionists.

So far, one person has applied for a licence, city officials say. Police are giving out warnings until Jan 1. before issuing tickets.

Kaje employs eight workers, all of whom will have to be licensed -- a total cost of $2,500, including the business licence. The business is involved in breast cancer fundraisers and other charity work.

She said she is considering pursuing a legal appeal based on Charter of Rights and Freedom grounds and has been put in touch with a lawyer with an interest in the case. The bylaw further stigmatizes the industry by grouping striptease performers with escorts and massage parlour workers, she said.

"(Our workers) have no problem being nude. It's just entertainment, that's all it is," Kaje said. "Some of our girls like to be naked and I don't see why we are condemning people if they want to be naked."

Meanwhile, the owner of Farmer's Daughters Studio, a 33rd Street West massage parlour, said she will license her business and employees, but said the restrictions on where adult service agencies are allowed will force her to relocate.

City council also agreed adult service businesses can only set up in light or heavy industrial areas and can't be within a city block of parks, schools and homes. The businesses must also be at least one block from each other to avoid "clustering."

"We have a good working relationship with (police) and we fully expect that to continue," said Trish, who declined to give her last name and said the industry stigma was the reason she didn't speak before council on the issue. "Now we're going to be away from patrols in the industrial areas, putting us in an area that is not frequented by police and may draw an element we weren't drawing."

Wallace said there are still ample locations in industrial areas within existing neighbourhoods that draw plenty of activity to ensure the businesses aren't isolated.

Trish said her fear is the industry will be driven underground.

"We see it as a profession, not an industry that needs to be hidden," she said.

"I think it's also important for people to understand that one of the main reasons that women choose to work in the parlours is safety because working on the street, obviously, there is no safety. They turn to these parlours and adult services because they do have an element of safety."

dhutton@thestarphoenix.com

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Dancing+business+says+adult+service+license+unfair/6990081/story.html#ixzz22F9TtEtD


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