MINISTER DROPS IN AT INJECTION SITE

Conservative Tony Clement meets Insite staff and addicts

VANCOUVER - Federal Health Minister Tony Clement paid an unexpected
visit to Vancouver's controversial supervised injection site in the
Downtown Eastside Wednesday, but left without indicating if it would
be permitted to operate beyond the end of the year.

"I had a good chat with staff, asked a lot of questions and got a lot
of answers," Clement said. "That helps me do my job as health
minister and to report accurately what these facilities on the east
side of Vancouver are all about," he said on the pavement outside
Insite, which is North America's only legal drug-injection site.

Clement was non-committal when asked if the visit had changed his
mind about allowing Insite to remain open.

"I think I'm getting a deeper understanding [of the centre] and this
is something that will enable me to be the best health minister for
the country," he said, after talking to staff and addicts inside.

In the past, the minister had expressed doubts that the centre lowers
drug use in the community or helps fights addiction. The Harper
government had threatened not to renew the site's licence -- it
exempts persons inside Insite from being arrested for possession of
drugs -- when its permit expired last September. Clement finally
renewed it until next Dec. 31.

While Clement was inside Insite Wednesday, a steady parade of addicts entered.

Addicts are allowed to inject themselves with heroin, cocaine,
morphine and other street drugs they bring into the centre. The
injections take place in 12 injection stalls using needles provided
by staff who supervise injections to prevent overdoses. Since the
centre opened in September, 2003. about 7,000 people have used it.

Supporters say studies have shown the centre attracts users who would
likely be HIV-positive, prone to overdosing and likely to inject in
public. Supporters also say the centre has reduced public drug use,
the number of discarded syringes in public places and syringe sharing
by addicts.

The federal government provided $1.5 million for scientific studies
into the centre by the B.C. Centre For Excellence in HIV-AIDS. That
research said social benefits of having the centre include a drop in
hospital visits from overdoses, a reduction in ambulance costs and a
reduction in persons dying from overdoses.

Clement began Wednesday touring the Salvation Army detox and homeless
centres in the Downtown Eastside. Staff at Insite only received short
notice that he would visit the centre. He arrived shortly after 10
a.m. and stayed for about half an hour.

"It was a surprise visit -- we were only notified a short time before
he came -- but we are impressed and happy he was here," said Chris
Buchner, manager of Vancouver Coastal Health HIV/AIDS Harm Reduction Programs.

Buchner said addicts told Clement the importance "of having access to
this place, how it adds dignity to their lives and how it's a
critical health service."

"He asked a lot of questions and was interested and impressed that we
could demonstrate that this is an access point to addictions
treatment," Buchner said. "People just don't jump from the gutter to
abstinence. You need a ladder to get there and there are several
intermediary steps and the first step is to bring people here.

"When we get them we try to maximize those opportunities [for
treatment] and I think that really spoke to him [Clement]."