MORE DRUGS, PLEASE

Will Mayor Sam Sullivan's drug substitution proposal be in place
before the civic election in November 2008?

Sullivan says he will ask federal Health Minister Tony Clement that
question this week when he visits Ottawa. The mayor's plan, which
involves doctors prescribing legal drugs to addicts as substitutes to
heroin, cocaine and other drugs, requires approval from Clement and
Health Canada.

"Because we've chosen not to focus on illegal drugs, it will be much
easier to obtain these approvals," Sullivan told the Courier before
he left for Ottawa. "I don't control the federal and provincial
governments. All I can do is work within their systems."

Dubbed CAST, or Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment, the program
would involve five trials and involve 1,800 addicts, 800 of whom are
chronic offenders, Sullivan said. Two "letters of intent" for two of
the trials have been sent to Health Canada, said the mayor, adding he
will discuss with Clement how the anti-drug strategy recently
announced by the Conservatives fits with CAST and Insite, the city's
supervised injection site.

The mayor has told the Courier he won't be lobbying for additional
injection sites, saying the Conservatives don't have "an appetite"
for more sites. Despite Sullivan's position, Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe
is lobbying for at least five injection sites in the provincial capital.

MO' MONEY, NO FUNNY

The issue of electoral reform surfaced again at the Nov. 29 city and
services budget meeting at city hall.

The issue arose after Vision Vancouver introduced a motion that
called for the city to hire an expert to set campaign spending limits
and look at banning corporate and union donations. That didn't
happen. According to the city's website, council agreed to ask the
ministry of community services for an update on the city's July 12,
2005 request for electoral financing reform measures, including
restrictions on campaign contributions and campaign spending.
Council's 2005 request also asked that the province look at the issue
of tax credits for campaign contributors, full reporting of all
contributions--regardless of when contributions are received--and
requirements for financial reporting similar to those for federal and
provincial parties.

Finally, council wants the province to amend the city's Charter so
every contribution to a party or individual must be reported as a
campaign contribution, even if the money repays debts incurred during
a campaign.

PROJECTION OBJECTION

A large red ribbon was projected on city hall Saturday night to
recognize World AIDS Day in Vancouver. But the decision to do it
didn't come without controversy.

NPA Coun. B.C. Lee introduced a motion late Thursday night in favour
of the projection. He noted the city was testing laser technology
that will be in use for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Vision Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie served notice on the motion,
noting Lee introduced it as new business two minutes before the
meeting was to adjourn. Louie suggested Lee should have introduced
the motion earlier. "I can't believe that both Vision Vancouver and
COPE would deny us this opportunity to recognize World AIDS Day in
this unique and special way," said Lee in a dispatch from the NPA.

The controversy brings to mind Louie's request last year to give free
parking to veterans for the week leading up to Remembrance Day. At
the time, the NPA called notice on Louie's motion, saying it was done
at the last minute. As a result, Louie had to wait until this year to
introduce his motion again, which eventually was approved by the NPA.
But in the latest case, the NPA and its majority on council got what
they wanted.

And so it goes.