YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR THIS ORGY OF SELF-CONGRATULATION

The Downtown Eastside media conference to unveil -- for the second
time in seven months -- what was billed as North America's "first
supervised injection site" was another victory for spin over substance.

In an unseemly media feeding frenzy, newshounds representing
communities as far afield as Nanaimo and Timbuktu jammed themselves
into the tastefully refurbished building (cost to B.C. taxpayers: $1.2
million) in the 100-block of East Hastings to see what was being
promoted as, well, the Second Coming.

But they came away only with self-congratulatory speeches ringing in
their ears, and without viewing any drug-injecting. That, they were
told, will start "in the next week or two," under the supervision of a
manager, an addictions counsellor and two registered nurses, all
presumably paid top union wages.

No, what the reporters did witness were over-exposed dignitaries, from
Liberal MP Hedy Fry to COPE Mayor Larry Campbell and conservative
former mayor Philip Owen, commenting on the courageous, compassionate
and ground-breaking step they were all taking.

"This is a historic day for Vancouver and truly a turning point in
dealing with addictions," said Campbell, praising fellow west-sider
Owen, North America's best-dressed safe-injection champion.

Now, no one could accuse activist Dean Wilson of sartorial elegance.
But, as he noted yesterday, taking drugs is not a lifestyle choice. It
isn't even fun. "This is just a really- - - - - - way to live," he
said. Nevertheless, Wilson stated, addicts should feel proud: "This is
a day of celebration for the users."

It does not, however, appear to have been a day of celebration for
those using their taxes to pay for it. Federal taxpayers are being hit
up for $1.5 million to support this "scientific research pilot
project." B.C. taxpayers are being dinged for up to $2 million for the
rest of the fiscal year, in addition to the $1.2 million in
renovations. And that doesn't include the cost of the drugs, which the
addicts themselves will provide through the usual illegal means.

But, will the site do anything to wean them off drugs? Not a lot,
according to local artist/construction worker Don Pottie, spotted in
the X-rated movie store next door: "They're facilitating, they're not
preventing."

Pottie can be forgiven his skepticism. Back in the late 1980s, he
moved on to Main Street just ahead of the needle exchange: "It
destroyed any hope of inviting people over to the studio." Pottie
added there's still a big incentive to keep addicts addicted:
"Governments pay money for dysfunction, they do not pay money for success."

And veteran social worker John Turvey told me the community was never
consulted about having the site in the first place. So, it may be a
triumph, but not for the ordinary, law-abiding people in this troubled
neighbourhood.

It's a triumph of the political photo-op.