Pubdate: Sun, 06 Nov 2005
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: Mike Howell, Staff writer

CANDIDATES DEBATE DRUGS

The COPE-dominated council has "dropped the ball" in its goal to 
eliminate the open drug market in the Downtown Eastside, says NPA 
mayoral candidate Sam Sullivan.

Sullivan made the comment at an Oct. 26 debate held in the Courier 
newsroom with Vision Vancouver mayoral candidate Jim Green.

"[The COPE-dominated council] has squandered a huge opportunity, an 
incredible mandate, a big majority that was given to them by the 
citizens to accomplish their promise of reducing the dysfunction and 
the open drug market on the Downtown Eastside and they've failed to 
do so," Sullivan said.

Sullivan was responding to the question, "In Larry Campbell's 
inauguration speech in December 2002, he said, 'If we do our work 
well, we should be able to eliminate the open drug market on the 
Downtown Eastside by the 2005 election.' In your opinion, has the 
open drug market been eliminated?"

Sullivan pointed to the infighting within COPE-which led Green, Mayor 
Larry Campbell and councillors Raymond Louie and Tim Stevenson to 
form Vision Vancouver-as partly to blame for council's inattention to 
the drug market.

"I have seen within this council, divisions that have been created 
such that a lot of energy has been spent fighting each other and 
energy that should have been spent moving the city forward," Sullivan said.

Though Green agreed the open drug market continues, he said the 
supervised injection site at 139 East Hastings, which opened in 
September 2003, has helped save lives.

"You know there's been some great things that have happened and there 
are thousands of people that are alive because we were able to bring 
in a safe injection site," Green said.

He acknowledged Campbell's stated goal of eliminating the open drug 
market was "optimistic," but said "we have to have optimism and 
pragmatism in order to deal with these issues."

Green also said the Vancouver police did some enforcement in the 
Downtown Eastside "that was questionable on how good it helped deal 
with that issue." He was referring to the police crackdown on drug dealers.

"It moved it around some so other neighbourhoods got the feel of what 
the Downtown Eastside experiences every day, and that was a pretty 
tough one on the communities. We don't direct the police, that's their thing."

Green, however, said more police are needed in the city. He pointed 
out that he supported hiring 50 more officers this year and 50 more next year.

The increase in police has to be complemented by more treatment for 
people affected by mental illness and drug addiction, and by building 
more housing, he added.

"I'm lobbying very strong for that," he said. "We have a guarantee of 
$1.6 billion coming from the federal government over the next two 
years for housing and we're looking at about 50 per cent of that 
being supportive housing for people in great need and this is 
endorsed by the Board of Trade."

An edited version of the full debate will appear in the Nov. 9 
edition of the Courier. Green and Sullivan also answered questions 
about the Woodward's redevelopment, reducing lanes on the Burrard 
Bridge for cyclists, the money problems at the now-defunct Four 
Corners Bank and Sullivan's explanation for supplying money to drug 
addicts for drugs.
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MAP posted-by: Beth