Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jun 2008 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: Mike Howell Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/insite (Insite) EAST SIDE MP POKES CONSERVATIVES ABOUT SAFE INJECTION Libby Davies Reacts To B.C. Supreme Court 'Insite' Ruling Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government believes offering supervised drug injection sites for addicts won't stop addicts from using drugs. That was the response from Tory MP Peter Van Loan, the leader of the government in the House of Commons, to questions from Vancouver-East NDP MP Libby Davies last week in Parliament. "Injection not only causes physical harm, it also deepens and prolongs an addiction," Van Loan said. "We believe that programs to help people get off their addictions should be supported and we believe that to spend money on supporting injection is actually to take money that could otherwise be used to help people get off their addictions and assist them in that kind of program." Van Loan's comments were transcribed in Hansard, the official recording of Parliament that chronicles debate between MPs in the House of Commons. The exchanges between Davies and Van Loan, as well as another between Davies and Tony Clement, the health minister, were sent to the Courier from Davies' office in Ottawa. Davies' questioning of the Conservatives comes after B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield granted the operators of the Insite injection site on East Hastings a "constitutional exemption" allowing the facility to operate without federal government approval. Clement has since said the government is appealing the decision. Insite's operating agreement with the federal government was to expire June 30. Clement said he was disappointed with the judgment. "We disagree with the judgment. We are, of course, examining our options and I would say to the House that we on this side of the House care about treating drug addicts who need our help," said Clement, when Davies asked him if the government would abide by the court's decision. "We care about preventing people, especially our young people, from becoming drug addicts in the first place. That is our way to reduce harm in our society and we are proud of taking that message to the people of Canada." Davies pointed to the numerous studies on Insite that concluded it was "a life-saving facility" and that harm reduction is an essential part of Canada's drug strategy. She urged Clement to put aside his "personal ideological position" and respect the court's decision and to change the country's drug laws. Clement's response: "Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich for the member from the New Democratic Party to start lecturing us on ideological positions. That is its bread and butter over there, but we on this side of the House are here for public policy. We are here to help our kids, prevent them from getting on drugs in the first place. We are here to help addicts." Insite is the only legal injection site in North America. It opened in September 2003 as a three-year scientific research project. The PHS Community Services Society operates the facility in conjunction with Vancouver Coastal Health. Senior staff at both agencies claim no one has died from an overdose at the site. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom