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Courthouse camp remains — for now — as judge reserves decision

The tent city on the lawn of the Victoria courthouse will remain in place for now. B.C.
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Many campers at tent city are resisting pressure from the provincial government to vacate the courthouse lawn.

The tent city on the lawn of the Victoria courthouse will remain in place for now.

B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson has reserved judgment on the province’s application for a court injunction to remove campers and prohibit them from constructing new shelters, setting fires and dumping garbage on courthouse property.

It’s not known when Hinkson will deliver his decision. In the meantime, he asked lawyers for the campers and the government to submit case-management plans for a pending civil trial by March 24 at 4 p.m.

When the lawyers finished their submissions, Hinkson allowed the residents and supporters of the tent city to address the court.

Donna Ambers, who calls herself the camp grandmother, told the judge the oldest member of the camp is an 82-year-old man who took the bus from Port Alberni and has been cared for by camp residents ever since.

The tent city has reduced costs for law enforcement, because police don’t have to go to all the parks in town to wake people up, said resident Joseph Reville. Tent city residents have also been able to help drug users when they overdose, he said.

Bert Hellet, a former alcohol and drug counsellor, said social agencies do little to help people in transitional housing.

“There’s no alcohol or drug counselling and no job counselling. They don’t inspire people to do anything but sit on their ass all day,” Hellet said.

“It’s like chickens locked in cages.”

Michael Henning told the judge his address was 850 Burdett St. “Never thought my address would be a courthouse,” he said. “But I feel a real sense of belonging here.”