Pubdate: Thu, 5 Nov 2009
Source: Georgina Advocate (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Georgina Advocate
Contact: http://www.yrmg.com/forms/lettertotheeditor.html
Website: http://www.yorkregion.com/news/Georgina
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2433
Author: Tracy Kibble

CONFRONTATION WITH BUSINESS OWNER A MISUNDERSTANDING, GEORGINA 
COUNCILLOR CLAIMS

High Street bong shop owners completely misunderstood the intentions
and tone of a conversation Oct. 20 with a longtime politician.

That's the message from Councillor Ken Hackenbrook after returning
from a Florida vacation last weekend and finding out Shisha shop owner
Gurbaksh Dhoofar had filed a police report stating they were "afraid"
to do business in town after talking to Mr. Hackenbrook last month.

But scaring them was definitely not the intent of his visit to the
shop, Mr. Hackenbrook told The Advocate Monday night.

"Look, they absolutely took me the wrong way," he said, adding his
wife, Lorraine, said nothing to them, but came into the store after
being across the street to see what was keeping her husband so long.

"I looked around at all the pipes and asked what they are used for.
(Mr. Dhoofar) said they are for tobacco. I have never seen these
products before," Mr. Hackenbrook said.

"I didn't want to threaten anybody and I wasn't about to tell them to
get out of the store. My biggest concern is the kids," Mr. Hackenbrook
said.

As far as a police report goes, "(police) are not going to do
anything," Mr. Hackenbrook said, adding he has talked to District No.
3 officers confirming this development.

York Regional Police Const. Laurie Perks confirmed there is an
investigation under way regarding a police report filed by Dr. Dhoofar
Oct. 23.

"Police are looking into (all the report's allegations). The
investigation has not concluded but we believe there was no criminal
incident here," Ms Perks said, adding any statements made do not
appear to be "criminal in nature".

"We won't speculate on whether the comments were appropriate but there
is no indication of criminal activity" on Mr. Hackenbrook's part, she
said.

There is also no criminal activity going on at the shop, she
added.

If there is no advertisement along with the bongs regarding their
purpose that they are to be used to smoke marijuana and if there is no
marijuana found in or around the bongs, there is nothing illegal about
the products being sold, she said.

"There is no offence here," Ms Perks said.

Mr. Hackenbrook told the The Advocate the only reason he brought up
any family connections to the police (several family members are
officers with the York force and his brother-in-law is a retired staff
sergeant) was to ensure Mr. Dhoofar and his partner that he is
community-minded and encourages peaceful relations as a longtime
member of York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge's Canadian
Federation of inter-cultural friendship community police liaison committee.

The councillor said he went in to the shop after receiving several
complaints and as a part of his welcoming tour of new businesses that
day in town, adding he handed Mr. Dhoofar a town pin and a business
card.

The councillor said the shop owners told him they close down every day
at lunch so as not to entice teenagers from Sutton District High
School, which is walking distance to the store.

"The kids are my biggest concern," he said.

Several readers have made comments about how one councillor's actions
might reflect on the town and the way it conducts business.

Mayor Rob Grossi had this to say:

"As far as this incident is concerned, although it's a business I
would not patronize and I don't necessarily agree with the legality of
the products that are sold there, my responsibility as an elected
official is to ensure that the rules and regulations and/or bylaws of
the municipality are adhered to. As for any new business that is
opened anywhere, its success will be based simply on the patronage by
the residents of the area."

Mr. Dhoofar is still in town with a "closing soon" sign on his door.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake