Letters: to Police Chief Rod Knecht

Here's another letter that was shared with us, with permission to post, including the writer's name.

This one actually did get a response.  We shall see how that pans out.

To: Police Chief Rod Knecht
From: Jennifer Hunter 

At the outset I would like to say how much I do appreciate the services of the Edmonton Police Force and support the work that you do.

Having said that I really need to comprehend what is happening at Artspace Housing Co-operative. I am genuinely concerned with the well-being of this community and I do not understand why AUPE’s behaviour in this community is not considered illegal. They are breaking the law according to the City of Edmonton Bylaw 14600 Community Standards Bylaw (noise/trespassing/public nuisance e.g. urinating and defecating in public areas/illegal gatherings/blocking traffic/verbal threats) and I thought that there was harassment and bullying standards by all levels of government.

I am confused as to why the police cannot stop this atrocious behaviour? I have always thought that you were there to protect us but what I am hearing is that you do not want to interfere with the strike. But the strike has nothing to do with the behaviours that are breaking the law. The noise level of the sirens/bullhorns and music are way beyond anything that should be tolerated or allowed.

The other thing I have heard is that your members are union and therefore support the union tactics of constantly breaking the law. This upsets me as I interpret it to mean that if a person breaks the law and they belong to a union then that is ok. How can that be? Laws are for everyone.

According to the Labour Relations Board “Picketing must be peaceful and carried out without trespassing or other unlawful acts. Violent or unlawful acts can involve legal consequences....” So again why are the police not doing something? There is so much documented proof of what the residents of this community have had to endure – see https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3_oS8WPj1BuU04RJpNXuQ 

I am pleading with you to enforce the law - nothing more – nothing less. I am not asking you to takes sides, I am just asking for the legal procedures that would be followed under normal circumstances (and if it was not against a union) be applied.

These illegal behaviours have to stop.