Alison Appelbe
Staff writer

City web designer behind panhandling spoof

A web site address at the bottom of a flyer that cleverly mocks the flyer distributed by anti-panhandling organizations, while encouraging the public to instead give to panhandlers, leads to info@walnet.org and designer Andrew Sorfleet.

Among the associations listed on Sorfleet's site are the Commercial Sex Information Service, described as "an ever-growing resource produced for and by sex workers."

Sorfleet is also behind the Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver — a site that contains unorthodox views on male and female prostitution.

Jamie Lee hamilton, who runs a drop-in centre for sex workers, said Sorfleet's views do not represent those of most female sex workers.

At the same time, Sorfleet's résumé promotes his experience as a male prostitute, and computer web site designer.

The city confirmed that Sorfleet, as an employee of two-person Sillyboy Graphics, created several pages on the city's website.

Sorfleet could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Charles Gauthier of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association says that efforts to reduce panhandling, coupled with the city's new panhandling bylaw, have succeeded.