Pubdate: Wed, 18 May 2005
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005Lower Mainland Publishing Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: Chris Buors

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Re: "PoCo councillors weigh in on new pot control bylaw," Wednesday, May 11.

The City of Port Coquitlam can send any kind of message it wants with 
whatever draconian anti-grow-op legislation, but it will not defeat the 
market forces of supply and demand.

Infringing on the property rights of landlords and the privacy rights of 
tenants will simply make investing in the rental properties market less 
attractive.

The gangs and crime lords can afford to outright buy homes, grow a few good 
crops, then abandon the property to taxes for the profit margins to be made.

Only the most enterprising of ruffians will thrive once the mom and pop 
operators who must rent someone else's property have been driven out of 
business. Ideas have consequences.

The City of Port Coquitlam decision-makers ought to heed some timeless 
advice from the person most responsible for the property rights that we do own:

"Whenever legislators endeavour to take away and destroy the property of 
the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put 
themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved 
from any further obedience," said English philosopher John Locke.

The City is supposed to exist to protect property rights, not come up with 
schemes to shoot itself in the foot concerning the rental market.

Chris Buors

Winnipeg 
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman