Pubdate: Sun, 15 Jan 2017
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329

CHIEF SHOWS STERNER STUFF THAN MAYOR

Mayor Jim Watson may be willing to bow out of the official debate over
supervised injection sites, but his police chief, laudably, isn't.

In a letter this week to the Sandy Hill Community Centre, Chief Charles
Bordeleau raises several concerns about security if a legal drug injection
operation is opened at that location. He calls the centre's plans so far
"inadequate."

Bordeleau warns "if stronger mitigation plans are not put in place, we
expect to see an increase in calls to police and other front line
responders like paramedics."

Contrast that clear stance to the political shuffling of the mayor. In an
editorial board meeting last week, Watson willingly reiterated that he
personally opposes supervised injection sites, and thinks public money
would be better spent on treatment than on helping people plunge toxic
substances into their bodies. "I'm still not convinced that having a
storefront operation encouraging people to come and do something illegal,
that is bad for their health, is a good idea," he said.

But he's only too happy to let the public health board speak for the city,
rather than have the contentious issue debated by local councillors. That
way, presumably, council then doesn't have to take political
responsibility if things go badly.

No such ducking from Ottawa's top cop. Asked by the Sandy Hill centre for
a letter, which is required as part of the application for a supervised
injection site, Bordeleau wrote: "We believe this site has the potential
to become a congregating area for drug users."

While he admitted the centre might help some users, "we can't ignore the
need for strong mitigation strategies for the potential negative impacts
SIS would bring especially as they relate to social disorder and crime."

Bordeleau's sober voice is important in the public debate over supervised
injection sites. Experts in what is called "harm reduction" believe that
letting addicts shoot up in a safe place, with clean needles and access to
medical expertise or addiction counseling, will save lives and may get
some people off substances that can kill them.

If so, good. Ottawa Public Health says tens of thousands of people used
illegal drugs last year, and the year before, there were three dozen
deaths from unintentional drug overdoses. No one wants that.

But public safety comes first, always. The centre wants to ensure there is
no problem for the community, but the question is whether its proposal is
sufficient to address these worries. After all, if this plan goes through,
Ottawa could also see one or two other similar sites set up.

So bravo to the chief for taking the responsibility of his office and
speaking up. Would that politicians did the same.
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