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Panhandling ‘Buddhist monks’ a growing concern across Canada

Panhandling ‘Buddhist monks’ a growing concern across Canada

In a bizarre trend that’s happening in cities across Canada, panhandlers dressed up as Buddhist monks are asking pedestrians for money. At times, their approach can be aggressive.

Similar incidents in Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto and Victoria involve men wearing the traditional orange, brown or grey Buddhist robes who hand passersby a golden tickets or beaded bracelets and ask for money in return.

Those in the Buddhist community say no real monk or nun would ask for money by way of panhandling.

Chris Ng with the Buddhist Education Foundation of Canada says it’s not in the Buddhist tradition to ask for money that way and that these people are “simply imposters who try to take advantage of the kindness of strangers.”

While fundraising happens in the community, it’s done through donations boxes inside the temple or through festivals and events. She adds that monks and nuns wouldn’t leave the temple in order to solicit funds.

“I’d say if you went to any Chinese temple in our Buddhist community the monks and nuns there wouldn’t recognize these people as monks and nuns,” she says. “Like an actor, you can wear a robe. But there’s an actual process to being ordained as a monk or nun. You go through vows and precepts. Out in the streets, stopping strangers to ask for money and often aggressively and deceitfully is totally un-Buddhist.”

In June, Toronto police said they had charged several fake monks under the Safe Streets Act. In those cases, the suspects acted aggressively. No one from the force was immediately available for comment on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, at least five men in long robes have been seen asking for money on busy Edmonton streets. No one’s reported any incidents, but police spokeswoman Anna Batchelor says police are aware of the situation.

“It’s not illegal to impersonate a religion, it’s illegal to impersonate a specific person or official,” she says.

Someone panhandling can be ticketed if they’re acting aggressively, she adds, and in those circumstances an investigation would have to take place.

Last December, Victoria police appealed to the public asking for information concerning panhandling monks who would scold and swear at pedestrians who refused them money.

The phenomenon appears to be worldwide, with fake monks being spotted in England, Japan, the United States and Australia.