Announcement by health minister likely delays final decision until after next federal election
Vancouver (6 September 2006) - The Harper Conservative government has bowed to widespread pressure and granted Insite, Vancouver's safe injection drug clinic, a reprieve that is likely to last well beyond the next federal election.
Health Minister Tony Clement timed the announcement for the Labour Day weekend when it would attract the least attention among opponents, notably tough-on-crime Tory voters who want the clinic closed despite its recognized success in 'harm reduction.'
Rather than give the clinic a green light for three more years - the length of time it has already been operating under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act - Clement says it will remain in operation while his department spends additional time studying alternate ways to wean addicts off drugs.
He has set a new deadline - Dec. 31, 2007 - to make a final decision. By choosing a date so far in the future he has probably placed the issue well beyond the next election date. Current speculation is that a national vote will be held well before the end of next year.
The initial three-year exemption for the clinic, which opened in 2003 in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, is due to expire on Sept. 12. The site offers a safe, clean alternative for an estimated 5,000 injection drug users in the area to cope with their addictions and reduce injection-related infections.
Mayors voice strong support
Former Vancouver mayors Mike Harcourt, Philip Owen and Sen. Larry Campbell released a joint statement in August supporting the clinic, saying that it makes sense both scientifically and financially. Vancouver's current Mayor Sam Sullivan and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, also a former Vancouver mayor, have also spoken out in support of the clinic.
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper in July to grant an extension.
"As a harm reduction strategy for drug-users, the 'Insite program' can be seen as highly successful," NUPGE President James Clancy said in a letter to the prime minister.
"The hard evidence is showing us that safe injection sites can be an important component of a strategy to address the drug crisis in many urban areas," Clancy said.
"It has proven its worth to the Vancouver community. I urge your government to renew the exemption under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in a timely manner." NUPGE
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