ELECTION MAY HAVE DOOMED VICTORIA SAFE-INJECTION SITE

Harper Has Opposed Strategy Already In Place In Vancouver

OTTAWA -- Vancouver's safe-injection site -- controversial since its
opening in 2003 -- could be both the first and the last in Canada if
Prime Minister Stephen Harper follows through with his party's
strategy of not financing drug use and slams the door on proposed new
safe-injection sites.

"We as a government will not use taxpayers' money to fund drug use,"
Harper said in a campaign statement in December 2005.

"That is not the strategy we will pursue."

Supporters say the safe-injection sites provide a place for addicts
to use drugs out of harm's way, and learn about programs that could help them.

Opponents argue taxpayers dollars shouldn't be spent helping people take drugs.

Anne Livingstone, project co-ordinator of the Vancouver Area Network
of Drug Users, says there are drug-related "epidemics across Canada."

"I think he (Harper)should come down and have a look and talk to the
folks here at the site and see what's going on here in our
neighborhood," said Livingstone. "He really needs to examine the evidence."

She said there are 15,000 injections in Vancouver every day, and only
600 of them are allowed to take place at the project she operates.

In Victoria, where Mayor Alan Lowe is on record as supporting the
creation of such a site, the issue might come to the forefront soon.

A plan outlining the feasibility and cost of the project is to be
presented to the Vancouver Island Health Authority in March.

After that, requests for approval from the provincial and federal
government will be submitted.

Liberal Senator Larry Campbell, the former mayor of Vancouver who
helped start the first pilot safe-injection site in Vancouver, said
there's a chance Ottawa would not grant the safe-injection-site
exemption for such cities as Victoria.

"It could happen, but I'm not sure how that would stand up," he said.
"What we have to recognize is there are many ways to approaching this
issue. Once presented with the scientific facts, I believe that any
government would recognize that it is needed."