GEORGINA BONG SHOP OWNERS CLOSE DOORS; FEAR FOR THEIR
SAFETY

Police Report Filed Friday After Conversation With
Politician

A High Street, Sutton shop owner has been forced to close his doors
after less than one week in business because he fears for his safety,
Shisha owner Gurbaksh Dhoofar told The Advocate Friday morning.

Mr. Dhoofar opened a shop in the centre of the retail corridor next to
the Bank of Nova Scotia last Saturday to sell bongs, commonly known as
water pipes - devices generally used to smoke tobacco and other substances.

Less than one week later, however, he said he felt he had no choice
but to consider closing his doors after a conversation with Councillor
Ken Hackenbrook and his wife, Lorraine, who came into his store early
last week.

"First, a woman came in Monday, looked around and said, 'What the hell
is this? We don't want you in our community,'" Mr. Dhoofar said.

It was after that, he said, that he was visited by the
Hackenbrooks.

"The councillor said, 'The community doesn't want you guys here.' He
told us there are people who would get angry about us being here and
that they might break our windows or burn our store. He said his wife
also has four brothers in the police force. Why would he say those
things to us?" Mr. Dhoofar said.

The Advocate made calls to Mr. Hackenbrook's home, office and at the
civic centre Friday to get comments about the conversation, but was
told he was on vacation for one week.

Mr. Dhoofar said he and his business partner felt so unnerved by the
councillor's words, he went to the police station Friday afternoon to
file a report, he said.

"I don't want to be afraid, but my partner and I come in here and we
are afraid after he said those things," Mr. Dhoofar said.

When asked why he chose Georgina to set up a drug paraphernalia shop,
he said water pipes are already being sold all over town at gas
stations and convenience stores. One just has to look in glass display
cases to see them, the mid-40s married father said.

"We researched this and there are many of these shops in downtown
Toronto," he said, adding shop owners there say a great deal of their
business comes from "north of Stouffville".

Mr. Dhoofar, who was born in Kuwait in the 1960s but grew up in
Markham, said his shop, Shisha, which means glass in Indian, sells
nothing illegal, adding Canada is a democratic country.

There are, in fact, no bylaws against selling water pipes, the town
confirmed Friday and police have checked out the store, finding
nothing illegal, Mr. Dhoofar said, adding he is a non-smoker.

"We don't sell to kids. Our customers come in here - and they already
smoke. Besides, people get alcohol for kids, too," he said, adding if
young people want to smoke and drink, they will find a way.

Mr. Dhoofar, an artist, ran a similar business in Wasaga Beach over
the summer without any problems and said he is within his rights to
sell products that are legal.

His water pipes range in price from $10 to $200. Even if you don't
smoke, he said, the intricately blown glass pieces are like art.

"I'm a Canadian citizen. Where are my rights? But what's the point of
doing business in this town if I am afraid," he said.

Mr. Dhoofar has started a "support list" in his store, which has about
24 signatures.

Customers meandered in and out of the darkened shop despite a
"closing" sign on the window, as he and a reporter chatted in the back.