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.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom