PROVIDE DRUGS TO ADDICTS, MAYOR SAYS

Mayor Sam Sullivan Wants The Eastside Cleaned Up By 2010 Games

Mayor Sam Sullivan says he's willing to risk his political career to
bring in a program to provide drugs or drug substitutes for addicts
in an effort to protect victimized women in the Downtown Eastside and
deal with Vancouver's social-disorder problems by the 2010 Olympics.

And his goal could be a reality sooner than some had imagined.

In a lengthy interview about his plans for drug-addiction strategies,
Sullivan confirmed that an anonymous individual who has been in
contact with his office has offered $500,000 to fund some kind of
innovative harm-reduction program in the city. Sullivan had already
been consulting with experts and community groups to explore ways of
initiating a drug-maintenance program.

However, he stressed that there is no specific project that's been
defined and that it wouldn't be something the city would operate.

"I want any project [that does go forward] to be not dreamed up by
the mayor or any citizen that doesn't have a lot of expertise," he said.

"The reality is that the city is not going to conduct any program
that is health-related."

The mayor did not want to identify the anonymous donor and stressed
that he has only heard about the offer from a third party.

But Sullivan, who has been talking to numerous groups and individuals
about his desire to see a maintenance program for addicts that would
supply them with heroin or cocaine, said he is "very heartened that
there is this kind of interest."

He emphasized, as he has many times before, that he would like to see
something done especially for the Vancouver women who take up street
prostitution to support their drug habits.

"I'll do whatever I can to get to a situation where we've done
something important for these women," he said.

He also said his goal is make a significant dent in the city's drug
problem before the Olympics.

"By 2010, I want the public disorder and crime seriously reduced."

But he also made it clear that he thinks the emphasis should be on
one pillar in particular of the four-pillar drug strategy that
Vancouver introduced five years ago: harm reduction.

"I believe where we haven't put real energy is in the more
interesting harm-reduction efforts that have proven to work," he said.

While Sullivan didn't dismiss the other pillars (enforcement,
treatment and prevention), saying they are all necessary, he said
that he doesn't believe police and treatment need to be the
priorities right now.

"I would say I have seen enforcement well funded. At least three
times during my time on council, we have sent the police in to clean
up for once and for all," he said.

Sullivan said he doesn't claim to know everything about treatment,
but he hasn't seen overwhelming evidence yet that it makes
significant inroads in addiction.

"I've looked at mandatory treatment in the United States and still
seen open drug use there."

He has also observed that when he has gone to treatment centres to
get help for acquaintances or family members there hasn't been a
problem getting beds.

Sullivan admits that he may run into political difficulties on this
and that many people, including some of his own civic party members,
aren't with him on it.

Asked if he's willing to sacrifice his political career to bring
about a drug-maintenance program, Sullivan answered quietly, "Yes."

He explained that he is willing to do that because drug addiction is
such a terrible blight on the city and that it is wreaking such havoc
with people's lives.

He also acknowledges that drug addiction is an emotional issue for
him, because he sees such a strong parallel between addiction and
disability: Sullivan has been a quadriplegic since he was injured in
a ski accident at 19.

But he also worried that his attempts to move too fast could cause
political damage to his party, the Non Partisan Association.

"I always have to realize that this is not just me."

Sullivan said he's perhaps not as politically astute as former mayor
Philip Owen, who brought in the four-pillars policy.

But the NPA has already gone through one drug-induced fissure in
spite of Owen's astuteness, after Owen and his party split in part
over their differences over his drug policy.

The NPA was then soundly trounced in the following 2002 election.

Sullivan said he recognizes he needs to let people catch up to him.

He even admitted that city staff are not on side.

"They're very polite" when he presents his ideas, he said.

But he's determined to be as aggressive as he can be.

"I want to be responsible about it. But I feel frustrated and
impatient. And one of the things in my life is that I have a bias
towards action."