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The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 4

Location:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Issue Date:
Page:
4
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

The Ottawa Journal Rub clubs: Are they threa to moral fabric of Ottawa? Tuesday, Sept. MM IV Try yti exicted groups to discuss the problem once again. What no one has determined over these last eight months is the extent of public concern over the rub clubs. It appears the concern started at the political level rather than coming in the form of a public outcry. Furthermore, no politician or policeman has explained exactly how the clubs represent a threat to the larger Ottawa though there have been individual cases of extortion and assault connected with some body rub-type establishments in the 'past.

Mike Neville, an Ottawa lawyer who has defended in one body rub case and watched the police's handling of the matter, says it is "amazing" how mjicii time and money have been spent dealing with what he considers a relatively minor police problem. He sees body rub offences as "Victimless crime," that is, crimes which might offend public taste but do no lasting harm to the participants. Mr. Neville also contends there was no intense police activity against the clubs until the matter became front page news. Police morality inspector George Zhukow said Monday the half dozen body rub clubs iii town do not constitute a serious police problem.

However, he said police were concerned six months ago when there were 13 such establishments. He said body rub-type places have been operating for years but they used to be known as health studios or massage parlors. By SUSAN RILEY Journal Reporter Whether they like it or not, the mayor, the city's news media and to some extent the police, have made body rub parlor a household word in Ottawa. A year ago the only mention of the clubs came in the entertainment pages of the newspapers in coy ads, heavy on graphics and light on words. But since then the six body rub parlors still operating in the city have become a.tccis of political and police concern.

The latest manifestation came at city council Monday night when aldermen tossed out a bylaw which would have regulated the establishments and then gathered in proached by the media for comment. Not all city aldermen share the mayor's concern about tne body rub clubs. Pat Nicol, mother of three and a representative of Elm-dale-Victoria ward, says she doesn't feel the clubs represent a serious enough threat to Ottawa's moraJLwell-being to justify spending a lot ot money to regulate and inspect them. "I think there are a lot of things going on in the city that are more important. They (the rub clubs) serve a certain segment of the population and I think policing them should be left to the morality squads." Toddy Kehoe, on the other hand, a Catholic like Mrs.

Nicol and mother of six, says the idea of body rub parlors "is to me and it always has been. I don't know why, that's just the way I react." Controller Marion Dewar says she finds the clubs "very distasteful," but, more than that, a real threat to the moral climate of the city. Furthermore they exploit the women who work for them and represent "a direct attack on the dignity of the f-male." It appears, in spite of last night's reversal, that Ottawa will soon have a bylaw which will regulate the clubs, probably driving the more unsavory ones out of business. Few active politicians want to be cast in the role of defender of vice, but in any event, none of the present group of aldermen appear to feel protective towards the clubs. However, there is some division of opinion as to how serious a threat these places are to the moral fabric of the city.

In Mr. Neville's view, one problem is that a distinction has never been drawn between the body rub situation in Toronto and that in U.S. gov't charges. 10 in huge bank fraud plot Tne city's attempt to regulate the rub clubs which would have the ettect of putting some out of business and causing others to move to Vanier or neighboring jurisdictions conies nearly a year after Mayor Lorry Greenberg denounced them in a speech to a local service club. The impromptu remarks came at the end of the Jan.

17 speech his first as mayor and indicated concern that a "criminal element" might move into town under cover of the body rub clubs. The remark was picked up by the media and soon steam-rolled into front page news. On Feb. 7 the mayor's executive assistant, Rick Lyons, informed city hall reporters that Medical Officer of Health Dr. L.

H. Douglas had a statement to make on the matter. The doctor said some of the parlors could be sources of some forms of sexually-trans-mitteddiseases another frbTlfpage story. A few weeks later the mayor's office-, posted a notice in the city hall media room of a closed meeting between the mayor and the Roman Catholic and Anglican bishops of Ottawa. After the meeting the bishops publicly backed the mayor's stand and called on the province to provide legislation so cities could control the clubs.

Meanwhile, city police began attracting publicity in a series of raids on body club establishments. Mr. Lyons said the mayor received up to 80 letters concerning body rub clubs and associated events, almost all backing his stand. It was one 'of three, big topics which drew letters during 197S, he said. He denied the mayor was purposely seeking publicity on the issue, noting Mr.

Greenberg never once called a pness conference on the rub clubs but was frequently ap THE HIGHER THEY GO Don Pennell, Liberal candidate in Burlington South, had a faster descent than planned on the weekend when a balloon gondola ride 3,000 feet above bis riding to publicize his candidacy in Thursday's provinciald election ended in the chilly waters of Lake Ontario. Balloon pilot Paul Blanchard, 20, was forced to crash-land the craft in the water 200 feet from shore when a brisk wind threatened to carry the pair across the lake. They were rescued within minutes by two motor launches. (CP Wirephoto) Allmand named in suit said, were based on the arti-cially higher prices and the excess funds were diverted to other companies controlled by Amanatides and Livas. In addition to inflating the prices for the vessels, Curran said, the two shipowners told the banks that the ships they were buying had charter contracts with various oil companies when, in fact, ns such charters existed.

There wast.no indication on just how mych of the loans have been paid back. Jeffrey Glekel, an assistant U.S. attorney involved in the probe, said, "A lot wasn't paid back, some has been paid back, same was paid back late." Curran said the indictments were based on a three-year investigation by his office, with the aid of the FBI and police in London. NEW YORK (UPI)-Federal -indictments have accused 10 men, including two Greek shipowners and three ex-officers of the National Bank of North America, with plotting to defraud U.S. and British banks out of more than million.

Two indictments, totaling 127 counts -and unsealed in Manhattan federal court Monday, charged misapplication of bank funds, keeping false company records, lying to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and bribery of bank officials. U.S. Attorney Paul Cut-ran said the principal victim of the fraud was the National Bank of North America, which made loans of more than $42, million to Tidal Marine International, a now-defunct firm owned by the two indicted Greeks, A. Ion Livas and Harry Amanatides.

Amanatides, who lives in Greece, was Tidal Marine's president. Livas, of Henley-on-Thames, England, was its chairman. Another indictment charged Francis Marone, former vice president of the Bank of America, International, with seven counts of misapplying more than SI million of the bank's money by making loans and overdrafts to a subsidiary of Tidal Marine. Between 1970 and 1972, Cur-ran said, Livas or Amanatides would buy a ship through one of the companies they- controlled one price and then sell it to another of the companies they controlled, including Tidal Marine, at a price. Tlie amounts of the bank loans to buy the ships, Curran 2 Millhaven inmates TORONTO (CP) A beaten with an exercise bar.

But Mr. Humphrey said the man died from a stabbing, not a beating. The lawyer said Mr. Dowsett refused a request for a hearing, where the men could be represented by a lawyer, to review the dentention. Millhaven is in the Kingston area.

an investigation into a stabbing. H. J. Andrews, a United States citizen serving a term for rape, died Jan. 6 from injuries received in the exercise compound at Millhaven.

John Bennett, deputy regional penitentiaries director for the Ontario region, said at the time Andrews had been Abduction suspects released until trial Let's talk facts, not politics KINGSTON, Ont. (CP) -Two Ottawa men charged in the abduction Friday of Teresa Krafchik, wife of a Kingston bank manager, were released at a bail hearing Monday to await trial Oct. 17. The men were released on their own recognizance rather than payment of bail. They were ordered to report each Monday to Ottawa police.

Brian R. Meikle, 32, and Peter Joly, 28, ale charged with conspiring with each other and other unknown persons to kidnap Mrs. Krafchik, with intent to hold her for ransom against her will. Mrs. Krafchik was abducted from her home Friday morning and released about six hours later in a wooded area two miles outside the city.

Police said her husband, Paul, paid S150.000 in ransom. Torontp lawyer says Solicitor-General Warren Allmand and four penitentiary officials have been named as co-defendants, in a lawsuit seeking to have, two prisoners released from solitary confinement at Millhaven penitentiary. David Humphrey said Monday he has filed a statement of claim in the Federal Court of Canada naming Mr. Allmand, penitentiaries commissioner Andre Therien, Millhaven director John Dowsett, assistant director S. M.

Scrut--ton and L. A. Alairie, chairman of the segregation review board at Millhaven'. He said a reply must be filed by Oct. after which a date will be set to hear the motion.

Humphrey said his clients, prisoners Franklin Aelick and Michael Kosobook, have been in solitary confinement the last 236 days. A spokesman for Mr. Allmand said Monday no statement could be made pending the outcome of the court action. In the 'statement of claim, Mr. Humphrey said the two prisoners were placed in segregation Jan.

22 on the orders of Mr. Dowsett. The lawyer said the two have been alone for 23 hours a day since then, mixing with other prisoners in the-exercise compound for the other hour. No reason given The lawyer says neither man was given an explanation until Feb. 20 when a memorandum from Mr.

Dowsett, said they were removed for the good order and discipline of the institution and that the decision had been based on It's absurd to suggest, as the premier does, that the public will lose confidence in a nursing assistant who writes a letter to the editor of her favourite newspaper about housing or taxes. After all, the law now lets our members be candidates and run for election. But it doesn't let our members canvass for a candidate. How ridiculous! Mr. Davis and his party say the spoils system" and political patronage would return to Ontario if our members had political freedom.

Again, that's nonsense. There are other laws and rules that prevent favoritism and discrimination in hirings, promotions and firings. Moreover, every civil servant takes an oath of secrecy, which fully protects the need for confidentiality in government. Similar rules in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have been sufficient to guarantee the impartiality of the civil services in those provinces. We just want you to know the facts.

We are not politicians; we have nothing to gain by distortions. We are riot seeking votes only basic civil right's for our members. S. AFRICA PONDERS PULLOUT FROM UN UNITED NATIONS (Reuter) South Africa; under constant attack for its racial policies, was considering withdrawing from the United Nations, its ambassador said late Monday. South African Ambassador Roelof (Pik) Botha said in an interview: "The time has come when we have to find a justification for remaining in the UN." He said no South African delegate will turn up in the assembly today and it was "unlikely" that any would attend the three-month session.

The UN ejected the delegation last November after holding a "ruling by its president, Algerian Foreign Minister Abdclaziz Bouteflika, that rejection of South Africa's credentials was tantamount to disbarment. In their bid for re-election, Premier Davis and his party have been trying to distort the facts and mislead you, the voters, on the issue of political rights for Ontario civil servants. Let's set the record straight. We say the members we represent mechanics, typists, cooks, snow-plow operators, technicians, maids, correctional officers, hospital workers and thousands more should have the right to take part openly in election campaigns. Mr.

Davis says no civil servant should have this right because it would destroy the impartiality of the Public Service. That's nonsense. Only people who work very closely with cabinet ministers, such as deputy ministers and other top aides, should be denied political rights. That's because they must keep their own politics in the background if they are to work effectively with the party in power. But we don represent deputy ministers.

In fact, we don represent any civil servants who help make government policy. We aren't asking that such people have freedom of political activity. We're talking about the thousands of ordinary civil servants who will never deal with a cabinet minister In their whole lives. We" don't believe the impartiality of the civil service will be destroyed if a government carpenter has the right to put an election sign on his lawn. On September 18, vote for equal rights.

It won't cost you a cent. THE OTTAWA BOARD OF EDUCATION QP CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT COURSES FALL 1 975 Evening and Daytime BEGIN THIS WEEK Registration still open in courses leading toWigh ScNoeMSraduation. 1 Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. LEVEL 5 EVENING SCHOOLS Nepean High School E.

S. Andre-Laurendeau (French Language School) LEVELS 1 to 4 EVENING SCHOOLS High School of Commerce Hillcrest High School Fisher Park High School' E.S. Andre-Laurendeau DAYTIME COURSES High School of Commerce Complete details of our Continuing Education credit programme appeared In this newspaper Saturday, September 6, and Monday, September 8. CONTINUING EDUCATION DIVISION CIVIL SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO B63-2325jmMo4j30pjm.

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About The Ottawa Journal Archive

Pages Available:
843,608
Years Available:
1885-1980