TORY DRUG VIEWS WRONG, CAMPBELL SAYS

Former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell is criticizing Tory Leader
Stephen Harper for his reservations about safe-injection sites.

Campbell, now a Liberal senator, yesterday said Harper has not been
challenged over his suggestion last month that a Conservative
government would not use taxpayers' money to fund drug use.

Harper made the comment during a campaign appearance in Burnaby when
asked about Vancouver's site, the first such facility in North
America, opened in 2003.

"[The Tories] believe addiction is not a medical problem, it's a
moral problem," Campbell said.

Campbell said Vancouver residents endorsed the safe-injection
approach by voting him into office as mayor and said he's worried
that Harper could kill the project if elected.

The site is aimed at reducing drug overdoses, HIV and other
infections by giving users clean needles.

Health Canada backs the site.

"In Mr. Harper's world, people who suffer from addictions are bad
people," Campbell said. "They're bad people, and in his world he
doesn't have any bad people.

"It goes against my morals that somebody would let people die," he
added, speculating on the harm to users were the project to end.

Tory spokesman Colin Metcalfe said a Harper government would not
provide money, as his leader suggested. However, he said the
Conservatives would have an "open dialogue" with provinces and
municipalities about approaches to the issue.