We don’t care how much  or how many “Cover Your Ass” statements (CYA) Cobourg Council issues anybody who condones or supports sleep deprivation is clearly guilty of torture! A Special Meeting of Council was held on Friday 12th December to address the many emails and calls that members of Council had received about the policy of not allowing sleeping in the warming room at the County HQ.

It was obvious by watching the meeting, the 17 minutes of the open session of a 1 hour 23 minute Special Meeting, that the Mayor in his remarks and the CAO – who read a prepared statement that put the onus on the County to set the rules were having none of the criticism. She also wanted to lay out the defence of the ECE bylaw by saying that it is a false narrative to say the bylaw does not prevent sleeping. However in bureacratese she also explained that the no sleeping policy was designed to allow all inhabitants of the space to be quickly evacuated in case of emergency!

The Mayor starting the debate by effectively attacking all those who have been critical of the policy, of spreading misinformation. “The correspondence (we received) was inflammatory and doesn’t need to see the light of day” in his defence of not reading any of the emails sent to Council. We think what really ticked him off was a CBC interview and he wasn’t on it.

In the CYA of Cobourg the Fire Chief was asked if Cobourg had ever made an order to stop sleeping – No, a statement was made that put the blame on the County for removing the recliners from 310 Division St. So the attacks from Cobourg on the County was relentless and very pointed – all to deflect the criticism to the County. Councillor Barber, in one of his very few public questions also wanted it on the record that the County chose the location of the warming room – a place that was not suited or zoned for sleeping! The last remark from the CAO says it all, “we hope the residents understand the rules and not spread misinformation.”

However  the problem is, despite who is to blame for the no sleeping policy, the County or Cobourg, it exists and because it exists all those who do not speak out against it or those who support it are complicit in denying people sleep – sleep deprivation and that is torture!!

It should be noted that the BurdReport and the many opponents of the policy that is sleep deprivation, will still stand by their allegations that this is torture and the policy must be changed immediately. We don’t care What Mayor Cleveland does when he puts his County Council hat on and says to the County. Unless it a statement to the effect that residents of the warming room must be allowed to sleep in that place or if they cannot, another place must be found. If one doesn’t appear and if the County doesn’t change the policy immediately then they are all complicit in extreme Human Rights violations and could be classified as International criminals.

Note to readers – click on the image and you will get a policy statement from “Psychology Today” about the problem.