OTTAWA, CANADA — Sometimes trying to get the mainstream government to cooperate in good will with adult entertainment businesses is a little like trying to get politicians from different parties to cooperate with one another. That’s certainly what members of an association that represents Canada’s strip clubs has experienced while attempting to organize information sessions concerning dancer health and safety.According to The Ottawa Citizen, the troubles really began in 2005, when City of Ottawa planners decided to ban “VIP rooms” where they contended that private dances sometimes got a bit too private and a bit too personal. The rooms became officially illegal the next year, with club owners, performers and the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada all crying foul.
Alas for lovers of up close and personal erotic performances, the ban has remained, in spite of expensive litigation and continued conflicts between the government and industry.
Worse yet, the relationship between the two entities has become so contentious that the Association contends city officials refuse to cooperate on creating a program to help erotic dancers and other club workers better understand the various health, safety and labor laws that affect their employment.
At wits end about how to lure City of Ottawa officials to meetings, executive director Tim Lambrinos wrote to Gloucester-Southgate Councilor Diane Deans and the mayor’s policy adviser, Brent Colbert pleading for help.
“We tried for some time to get somebody from the bylaw department to work with them, but it wasn’t happening,” Colbert told the press. “As long as it’s a legal business and the city regulates it, I figured the city should be in contact with them, especially when part of what they are doing is trying to educate people on the city’s bylaws that affect them.”
Not only did Colbert advocate on behalf of the clubs on this issue but he attended the educational sessions himself, visiting a half dozen clubs in order to explain what behaviors are and are not permitted, what responsibilities each employee possesses, what numbers to call for information or to report problems and how to fill out standard incident-report forms.
Meanwhile, Lambrinos continued to push to have an official assigned to work with him directly, participate in the meetings and provide feedback about his presentations.
“All I wanted was help and the city wasn’t sending anybody,” Lambrinos explained. “And they should, because it’s their bylaw. We are trying to work with them.”
Fortunately for club workers, Councilor Deans has been able to make progress that should have been made long ago. A staff member has finally been assigned to strip club bylaw education duty and is slated to begin attending future meetings.
“The city has agreed to do it and I’m glad,” Deans assured. “We regulate for health and safety reasons, so it will be good to have input directly to the people who work in that industry.”
