RAVE RULES

Gradually, a consensus appears to be emerging on how the city of Toronto
should deal with the issue of dance raves.

Advice coming from the Allen Ho inquest, the Toronto police, fire and
ambulance service, Mayor Mel Lastman's office and an impressive private
member's bill by Liberal MPP Sandra Pupatello all contain sound ideas,
given that nothing will be perfect.

Methods for regulating (not banning) raves should include:

- - New provincial and municipal laws - with teeth. Existing bylaws covering
health, safety, fire and liquor licensing issues are ineffective for raves,
which occur on an irregular basis in different locations and do not serve
alcohol, although drugs are common.

- - Municipalities need a specific power both to license raves and to
withhold licences from irresponsible promoters.

- - Raves are big business. Promoters, not taxpayers, should be required to
pay up front for the police, paramedic and other prescribed services that
will be needed to operate a "safer" rave.

- - Police and other municipal authorities will need a specific power to
close a rave they reasonably believe has become a threat to public safety,
with legal sanctions to compel the promoters and participants to comply.
The city's "rave protocol," developed with rave promoters, is a first step,
but nowhere near tough enough.

Finally, while no one wants to actually say it, the nature of raves means
that realistically there will have to be some unofficial tolerance of drug
use - but not the deadly free-for-all going on now. Unfortunately, zero
tolerance will only drive raves underground.

That said, we believe council has no business profiting from the rave
business. No city properties should be rented out for raves now, when
council reconsiders this issue in August, or ever.

Finally, the public should heed the sensible advice of Toronto Police Chief
Julian Fantino, who says that while the police, with a better regulatory
framework, can help make raves safer, they can never guarantee that they
will be completely safe.

The best defence, Fantino said, remains effective education programs on the
dangers of drug use for both parents and kids.

Police too, he said, need funding for better training to help them more
easily recognize when kids are in danger, and from what drugs. This will
help them prioritize the need for medical attention.

Given that no law will be perfect, we need one that makes sense.