Pubdate: Tue, 24 Apr 2012
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Metro Canada
Contact: http://www.metronews.ca/Vancouver/comment/lettereditor
Website: http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Kate Webb

Drug Strategies: FORMER UN HIGH COMMISSIONER PRAISES VANCOUVER

One of the world's most respected authorities on humanitarian crises
has commended local policy makers, health and law experts for
challenging the war on drugs.

Louise Arbour, former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and
chief prosecutor for two international criminal tribunals, made the
comments Monday at a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon at the Fairmont
Pacific Rim hotel.

"I'm delighted to see that this important debate is increasingly
taking place, and I'm even happier to see that some of the very
progressive work in this field is taking place here in Vancouver,"
Arbour said.

She noted the decade-old fight to keep Downtown Eastside supervised
injection site Insite open.

"I can assure you that it doesn't go unnoticed in the broad-based
movement to transform a repression-based war on drugs to a public
health-based strategy that many of us believe at least should be
experimented upon," said the Montreal native.

"I think the empirical study, overtime, will overcome the
ideological-based policies."

Afterward, Dr. Evan Wood, Insite's founding principal investigator,
thanked her and shook her hand.

Arbour's wide-ranging speech highlighted the global decline of warfare
over the last 20 years and current challenges to international
stability, including the increasing prevalence of civilian casualties
and the use of killer drones in conflict zones.

It was also designed to drum up support for the International Crisis
Group, a non-profit organization that works to resolve international
crises, of which Arbour is CEO. She said the think tank is 50 per cent
reliant on donations - which made the well-to-do Board of Trade crowd
a perfect audience. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D