A COMMUNITY TRIES TO COPE WITH DRUG CRISIS

Joe lives in the Downtown Eastside (Moratorium on facilities for drug
users, Aug. 10). He is one of the old-timers the Carnegie group claims
to represent - he is a senior, an alcoholic and will live out the rest
of his life in this neighbourhood.

Joe called one of the Gastown, Chinatown, Strathcona, Victory Square
Community Alliance members on Wednesday when they made their public
demands for equal policing and a halt to government money enabling drug
use in their communities. Joe said conditions on the street for him are
getting worse and worse. He uses a thick cane to get around, and he
said that he has to use it sometimes for things he should never have
to.

He offered the Community Alliance his total support; he offered to
donate money or whatever else was needed to further its aims and
demands. He thinks something must be done. Joe is one of many old
souls in the Downtown Eastside who have stepped out, risked their
safety and their housing, to offer this group their full support.

Lynne Bryson, Vancouver

I would like to correct an error in the Aug. 11 article, "Province to
push ahead on centre for drug users, minister says." The provincial
government cannot proceed with the multi-service resource centre for
drug users without city approval because it is under appeal before the
board of variance.

We can, however, push ahead on our comprehensive substance misuse
strategy, developed in cooperation with our federal and city of
Vancouver counterparts under the Vancouver Agreement. This plan, which
contradicts Mayor Philip Owen's assertion that the provincial
government has done nothing over the past two years, is well known to
city staff. In addition, the province has committed more that $70
million to projects aimed at alleviating the effects of the drug trade
in Vancouver. This figure is either considered insignificant by Mayor
Owen and his Non-Partisan Association councillors or too high by a
coalition of business interests led by NPA board members and
organizers.

Which is it Mr. Owen? Too little or too much?

Jenny Kwan, B.C., Minister of community Development

There is a crisis in the Downtown Eastside. More and more people are
becoming casualties of a spiralling health crisis due to drug use. Drug
users themselves have led the way in calling for a comprehensive
approach to stem the needless loss of lives and devastation impacting
the whole community.

Now, sadly, we take on another crisis - a political one - as a result
of Mr. Owen's announced 90-day moratorium on permits and applications
for facilities for drug users.

The mayor and the city have been heading in the right direction and the
imminent opening of the resource centre has been seen by many as a step
forward. So why the moratorium? What we desperately need is political
leadership involving all levels of government to be committed to
actions that have been proven to work.

The federal government provided the financial resources for the
resource centre. It is not in anybody's interest to hold this or other
desperately needed facilities up.

Libby Davies, MP, Vancouver East