Pubdate: Thu, 11 Sep 2014
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Rene Bruemmer
Page: A10
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)

CLEAN DRUG SITES COMING TO MONTREAL

The city of Montreal will see supervised drug injection sites on its 
territory in the near future, Mayor Denis Coderre announced Wednesday.

"Following the (2011) ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada where it 
was clearly stated ... that these sites are important for public 
health and security, it is clear this affects many people ..." 
Coderre said. "There will be three supervised sites because if we 
want to reach these people and help them, these sites are important, 
be they permanent or mobile."

Supervised injection sites allow drug addicts to shoot up under 
medical supervision with clean needles. Last year, Montreal's health 
and social services agency asked Quebec to finance four such sites 
and locate them at established community organizations like Cactus 
and Spectre de rue that help addicts. Coderre said he was in favour 
of that model.

"Of course, there will be people who are against, there will be a 
syndrome of 'not in my backyard,'" Coderre said. But with the 
necessary resources, lives will be saved and it could alleviate the 
problem of syringes regularly found in some public parks, he said.

Also Wednesday, the executive committee authorized a payment of 
$142,540 to install 171 wireless backup cameras on the city's fire 
trucks as a security measure. Anie Samson, executive committee member 
responsible for public security, said other municipal vehicles would 
be similarly equipped.

The executive committee also authorized a grant of $21,981 to a 
research group on sea mammals for the symbolic adoption of a beluga 
whale as part of its mandate to ensure the health of the St. Lawrence 
River and its inhabitants. Mayor Coderre cracked there was no truth 
to rumours of a campaign to name the beluga after him, after which 
habitually dour executive committee president Pierre Desrochers 
succumbed to a fit of giggles so incurable he had to pass his speaker 
duties off to another councillor.
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