Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jul 2015
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2015 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Kristy Kirkup
Page: A8

CODERRE URGED TO STAND FIRM ON INJECTION SITES

Ex-Vancouver mayor lauds Montreal's effort to open four sites by the
fall, regardless of the federal government's approach

A former, long-time mayor of Vancouver says Montreal Mayor Denis
Coderre must not back away from his showdown with the federal
government over that city's bid to open four drug-injection sites by
the fall - a timeline that coincides with the onset of the federal
election campaign.

Philip Owen, who became a strong advocate for the Insite program
during his nine-year term as Vancouver's mayor, says there is "no
doubt the evidence in the world supports what [Mr. Coderre] is trying
to do" and what Vancouver was successful in doing.

Mr. Owen said Montreal is going to face a fierce battle with the
federal government, but he said Mr. Coderre should "just keep pushing
ahead."

"We looked at this whole issue and decided, quite simply, that the
user is sick and the dealer is evil, so put the user in the
health-care system," Mr. Owen said, citing that injection sites are
used as a public-health measure all over Europe.

The ongoing debate over drug-injection sites in Canada is gaining
momentum this summer as a high-profile deadline looms for the federal
government.

Montreal has given the federal government until the end of the summer
to respond to the city's request for legal approval for three fixed
sites and a mobile unit.

But Mr. Coderre has already slammed the process as a "formality" and
vows to proceed with or without the federal green light.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose is using the spat with Montreal to take
aim at Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who once served with Mr. Coderre
in the Commons when the Montreal mayor was a Liberal MP.

"Our government will make sure that residents of Montreal get a say
when injection houses want to open, in keeping with the Supreme
Court's ruling," Ms. Ambrose said in a statement. "We oppose and are
deeply concerned with Justin Trudeau's pledge to open drug injection
houses in communities across Canada."

In a 2011 decision, the Supreme Court ruled Insite saved lives and
improved health without increasing drug use and crime in the
surrounding area.

The court also said the government should "generally grant an
exemption" required to legally operate a supervised injection site if
the evidence indicates it will decrease the risk of death and disease
and it will have little impact on public safety.

The Conservative government then passed the Respect for Communities
Act, which establishes 26 criteria for the government to consider when
reviewing an application.

Several health groups, including the Canadian Nurses Association,
argued the new law is designed to block the creation of supervised
injection sites.

Health Canada said it would be up to law enforcement, in charge of
investigating contraventions of the Controlled Drugs and Substances
Act, to address sites that proceed without a legal exemption.

Mark Tyndall, the director of the UBC Centre for Disease Control, said
it seems unnecessary the federal government should have any say in
what a city does to engage people with addiction.

"I think it is a good move by the mayor of Montreal and the people
supporting that," he said. "The main divide is the federal government
still views this as crime and punishment. =C2=85 For those of us that hav
e
been on the ground for years, it is quite obvious that is not the way
to deal with this."

Vancouver Coastal Health, which runs a number of programs including
Insite, said it is backing Montreal's efforts because there is "no
doubt of the likely benefits to intravenous drug users living in Montreal
=2E"
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MAP posted-by: Matt