BYLAW TO SCRAP PRIVACY

Cops Say Langley's Drug-War Measure Goes Too Far

The growing pot-house problem in Langley has city council members smoking
mad.

Some members of council want a tough new bylaw that would give landlords,
police and even city officials the right to barge in on tenants to see if
there was anything illegal going on.

"The bleeding hearts are going to say that we are infringing on their
rights," said Langley councillor Evan Williams, who proposed the bylaw.

"Well, peddling drugs is not a right, and if you are not doing something
illegal you should not have a problem with this."

"And if you vote against this bylaw you are voting for the drug dealers,"
Williams said, with a righteous howl of indignation.

His proposed bylaw would force everyone who rents out residential property
in the city of Langley to get a business licence.

To get a licence the landlord would have to agree to regular inspections of
the property. Tenants would have to agree to allow the landlord, city
officials and even police to check out the property for any illegal activity
at any time.

Mayor Marlene Grinnell, who seconded Williams' motion, explained that the
proposed bylaw is aimed at the absentee landlords, many of them real-estate
developers who buy up old houses at bargain prices when the housing market
is soft.

"They rent them out cheap, and as long as the rent is paid don't care what
is going on there," Grinnell said. These houses are a favourite with
marijuana growers, who turn them into indoor pot plantations, she said.

Even the police, who suggested getting tough on drug house owners, say the
proposed bylaw in Langley goes too far.

"It was never our intention that this would give the police the right of
access," said Sgt. Jim McNamara of the Langley RCMP. "I don't think that
would stand up in court."

He said a couple of officers in the detachment's crime prevention section
suggested enacting a bylaw to push landlords into checking up on their
property and perhaps give council a tool to go after negligent landlords for
the cost of drug raids.

Langley councillor Jack Arnold says Williams took the anti-pot house idea
over the top.

"I am a little to the right of Attila the Hun, and I think this is a major
infringement on people's rights," Arnold said.

"I am not fond of drug dealers either, but this is too onerous."

Erin Goodwin of the Tenants Rights Advocacy Group said they would challenge
the bylaw.

A spokesperson for the attorney-general's office said the Residential
Tenancy Act now allows landlords to inspect property with as little as 24
hours' notice, or go in if there is an emergency, such as a flood.