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City Council debate can get heated. As long as it’s respectful, it’s healthy. But yesterday it turned ugly. During the debate on winterizing washrooms, the deputy mayor equated more winter washrooms with encouraging homeless encampments. This is wrong practically and ethically.
First, practically speaking, the deputy mayor said we don’t need washrooms in parks because kids can pee at home. If you have EVER been to a park with kids, you know that while this is always your goal, sometimes nature calls & running home isn’t possible. Winter is no different
Second, public toilets should be a human right. Most 24h restaurants are closed, so people experiencing homelessness have few options to practice basic hygiene. While our city struggles with a homelessness crisis, we still need to meet basic human needs. Washrooms included.
Third, we are relying on deliveries like never before. Many drivers are on the road for hours at a time with NO access to washrooms. It is not fair for us to order in dinner, bang our pots & pans for front line workers, then lock our doors when these people need to pee.
Denying access to washrooms denies people of their dignity - if it’s your delivery driver, your daughter (I yet acknowledged the gender lens to this debate) or your neighbour - that stranger who is struggling to find a place to sleep.
So have a heart Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong - apologize for your comments or resign as deputy mayor because our city deserves better.
