City Hall

Prostitutes' advocate stalls council meeting

Hamilton, who is asking for $30,000 from the mayor's contingency fund, said she wouldn't leave the council chamber until she got a hearing on her grant application.

Her nine-bed safe house for prostitutes starting operating on East Hastings Street in September and was funded by private donations until December. But a major contributor dropped out and she started a media campaign in early January to get emergency funding from the city.

She has been camping outside city hall since last Thursday.

Mayor Philip Owen, visibly outraged by the intrusion, told Hamilton council would not listen to her because she hadn't followed the process other groups asking to make presentations are required to follow. Eventually, however, Hamilton and council agreed she will make a presentation to a committee meeting within 10 days.