Early Payment Discount Deadline Approaching

There are only a few days left to take advantage of the early payment discount. February 1st is the deadline for the 2012 early payment discount. You can save 2% for paying two months early. That's the equivalent of a 12% annual interest rate!  Try to get that from your bank.

Members invoices were sent out in November and are all due by April 1, 2012. If you have not received your invoice, please contact the office ASAP to request another copy.

Court Ruling on Nudity

The Federation of Canadian Naturist (FCN) just sent out the following announcement:

On Thursday, January 12th, the Ontario Court of Justice found Brian Coldin guilty on 4 of the 5 counts of "partial nudity that offended against the public order." (Section 174 of the Canadian Criminal Code) John Cropper who was a co-accused in one count was found not guilty. Mr. Coldin was sentenced to 24 months of probation and a $3,000 fine.  Justice Douglas also dismissed the arguments that the anti-nudity statute was unconstitutional.  Mr. Coldin is considering appealing. 

While the 37 page ruling did not go in Mr. Coldin's favour, it did contain a number of opinions that favour naturists. 

Under the act, nudity without a "lawful excuse" is only illegal if it either offends against (1) public decency or (2) order.  Justice Douglas specifically found that mere nudity in public is not indecent. By his analysis, public nudity which does not risk public order would not be illegal. 

In analyzing the Constitutional Arguments, Justice Douglas recognized naturism as a valid form of expression: 

[161]"...The evidence is very clear that many people, call them naturists, find some fulfillment in the conduct of being nude, and, not simply in private, alone, but being nude in some form of quasi-public place, such as a naturist camp. For them, the conduct of public nudity is imbued with meaning; hence, expressive." 

He further suggested that naturism would be meaningful enough to be protected: 

[166]"In my view, if the prosecution before this court concerned the sort of public nudity engaged in by naturists, at, for example, Mr. Deschenes' private home or his privately owned, but open to the public, naturist park, the matter would be much different. The effect of this laws application in such a circumstance, in my view, would be somewhat analogous to regulating the behaviour of those who celebrate the Seder of Passover or the Eid al-Fitr of Ramadan in private homes, or the Christmas at midnight in a church, which, too, is privately owned by, effectively, the congregation, but nonetheless open to the public.  Without putting too fine a point on it, many would feel far more comfortable in considering the conduct of Mr. Deschenes' naturists as protected expression akin to that given to recognized religious behaviour, than they would the conduct of those at swingers sex club or those engaged in a lap dance.[167]"In such circumstances, one could easily see the conduct as clearly expressive (and, with religious significance) and the law as oppressive thereof." 

Justice Douglas also addressed a common concern of naturists who are either nude in their homes or backyards. Section 174(b) states that it is not only illegal to be nude public but it is illegal to be "nude and exposed to public view while on private property".  Justice Douglas expressed strong concern that this part of the law reaches too far: 

[197]"Thus, what the private reach of the legislation catches is non-indecent, private nudity, if exposed to public view, such as the individual walking from the shower, observable through the bathroom window, the individual getting out of bed, observable through another window, the individual walking to or from the hot tub or pool, visible because the fence or shrubbery is too low."[198]"Can it be said that the legislation as a whole or in part fails because it reaches for and restricts even private nudity, simply because that nudity, while on private property, is exposed to public view. I must admit to some significant concern with this aspect of the legislation. It very much does reach across the boundaries of private property, into, that is, the bedrooms and bathrooms, and backyards of all. It does impose obligations on persons in the very intimacy of their home to build literal or figurative walls to protect against the vision of those who choose to look into their homes. Not only must those who live in glass homes not throw stones, they must buy curtains.  This strikes me as overreach." 

But Justice Douglas declined to rule on the constitutionality of this section because it did not apply to any of the charges that Mr. Coldin was facing.  However, his judgement presents a clear argument for any naturist who would be caught under 174(b). 

You can read the complete ruling at: http://www.fcn.ca/download/Coldin.pdf

Winter Yoga

Winter Yoga Schedule will run from January 8th to March 28th.

Classes will be held downstairs in the clubhouse on Sundays 12-1pm and Wednesdays 8-9pm.

• Mat Rental: $2 
• Class: No charge but tips are appreciated

Nikki Lafrance, the instructor, is working towards her 200hr Teaching Certificate; and, she needs to practice teaching with a class of participants. The classes will be gentle and light-hearted. All levels welcome!

Here's an interesting article from Salon.com where a writer recounts her first experience in a coed naked yoga class.

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/06/my_naked_yoga_class/singleton/

Please contact the office before attending to confirm availability as well as the time and date. Non-members must also register in the office before closing time. (which is 6pm on most days)

Disclaimer: The yoga classes are provided by an independent individual. Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park only coordinates the arrangement and is not responsible for the service provided.

Bare Oaks is a photo of the year

A picture taken by Mark Blinch for Reuters last summer has been selected as one of the National Posts' 25 oddest photos of 2011. As is often the case, we are lumped in with other "crazies". But the normality of the photo speaks for itself and should raise good questions in many people's minds.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/29/25-oddest-photos-of-2011/

Naturism in France

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uo7iGK1Nwo

France is often regarded by naturists as the Mecca of naturism.  While the naturist movement is generally considered to have started in Germany, the largest resorts are now found in France. The French government has a division of the tourism ministry whose purpose is only to promote naturist tourism. The naturist district in Cap d'Agde was created by the French government in the 1970's and now attracts over 40,000 people every summer. Millions of French citizens vacation every year in naturist resorts, clubs and beaches.

But as advanced as naturism is in France, it is also an example of how things can go wrong when commerce drives a movement's growth. For example, Cap d'Agde has been widely criticised over the decades for its lack of standards.

This video was originally broadcast on French TV in August of 2011. It is an excellent overview of the current state of naturism in France – both good and bad. It also provides a warning for the naturist movement in our own country. If we do not defend naturist values, those who exploit naturism will destroy the philosophy on which our movement was created.

The original show was in French only.  This version has been enhanced with English subtitles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uo7iGK1Nwo

Act Naturally on DVD

The producers of the movie Act Naturally have announced the pre-release sale of the DVD version.

http://ActNaturallyMovie.com/merch.html

So if you were there at the Fox Theatre on June 26th or saw the screening during the 2011 Naturist Festival, you can now have your own copy! (plus bonus material)

If you missed both screenings, then this is your chance to finally see it!

Please support independent naturist film by purchasing your own copy of this movie instead of duplicating it or downloading it.

15 Years of Equality in Topfree Rights for Women!

Fifteen years ago today, on December 9th, 1996, the Ontario Appeal Court reversed the 1991 conviction of Gwen Jacob for indecency making it legal for all women in Ontario to be topfree. Jacob, at the time a university student, had walked bare-breasted through the streets of Guelph in July 1991 in order to protest the inequality of current law.

http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onca/doc/1996/1996canlii1119/1996canlii1119.html


On July 19, 1991, Gwen Jacob took off her shirt and walked home from the University of Guelph. She was charged with committing an indecent act. (Section 173 of the Criminal Code of Canada)

It was actually the second time that she had walked top-free in the City of Guelph during 33C weather. The first stroll only generated puzzled reactions. But on the second day, she ran into more opposition when she stopped to talk on Ontario Street. A Ms. Pettifer called the police after after Gwen Jacob refused her request to cover up. Another resident of that street, Ms. Snarr, expressed concern about the impact that bare breasts would have on her young children. The police asked Gwen Jacob to put on her shirt. They arrested her when she refused and charged her with committing an indecent act.

At the first trial in 1991, Ms. Pettifer testified that bare breasts were "disgusting" while Ms. Snarr said that it is "dirty" for women to expose their breasts. Gwen Jacob was found guilty and fined $75. In 1992, the Ontario Court's General Division upheld the ruling. But on December 9, 1996, the Court of Appeal for Ontario reversed her 1991 conviction and gave all the women of Ontario the right to be topfree.

You can hear Gwen Jacob tell her story on episode 28 of The Naturist Living Show.

Photo by Phillip Pessar

2012 Invoices

If you are a member, you should have received by now the 2012 invoices that were mailed a week ago.  They are not due until April 1st. This year, the rates have gone up modestly but if you take advantage of the early payment discount, your rates will be the same as last year!

If you have not received your invoice, please contact the office to request another copy.

Winterizing Your Trailer

Woodall's Family Camping Blog has a good article on how to prepare your recreation vehicle (RV) for the winter:

http://blog.woodalls.com/2010/10/winterizing-your-rv-a-step-by-step-time-proven-system-to-get-the-job-done-right

Photo by brentolson

Seasonal Water Off Monday

We've held out as long as we could but frost is now a possibility at night.  So we will be shutting down the seasonal water (Beckett Circle) on Monday, October 31st.

If you have a trailer, this is also the time to winterize it otherwise you may experience damage.  If you need someone to winterize your trailer, please contact the office for recommendations.

But the clubhouse with its hot tub, saunas and fireplaces is open all year and members are most welcome to continue using the property and their trailers throughout the winter.