B.C. SUPREME COURT ASKED TO KEEP SAFE-INJECTION SITE GOING

Groups Want to Stop Facility From Closing When Permit Expires

Two groups that help drug addicts were in court yesterday in a bid to
keep Vancouver's controversial safe-injection site open.

The Portland Hotel Society, which helps run the Insite program, and
the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users want the B.C. Supreme Court
to stop the site from closing when the federal government's permit
expires at the end of June.

Among their legal arguments are that heroin and cocaine addicts
should not be subject to Canada's anti-drug laws while they're under
treatment on the site. They also say that the B.C. government, rather
than the Canadian government, should have jurisdiction over the
operation of the program.

The federal government has twice extended Canada's only
safe-injection program, which began as a pilot project in 2003, but
has expressed concerns about its continuance.

John Hunter, a lawyer for the federal government, yesterday applied
to have a full trial on the issues, with testimony from medical
experts, rather than a summary trial, where lawyers argue on the
basis of affidavits filed.

He said there was serious debate on the benefits of the program,
which its adherents claim saves lives and prevents drug overdoses.

Hunter was opposed by the two groups, and the judge ruled that he
will hear the case as a summary trial.

Monique Pongracic-Speier, a lawyer for the society, began her
arguments by describing two addicts who claim they've benefited
greatly from Insite.

One addict, a 51-year-old man, had had three overdoses that nearly killed him.

"He truly believes that, by injecting at Insite, he's drastically
reduced his risk of overdosing," Pongracic-Speier said, quoting from
the man's affidavit. The hearing continues today and is expected to
run two weeks.