DR. PETER'S 'ILLEGAL' INJECTION SITE NOT A POLICE PRIORITY

The Vancouver Police Department did not know the Dr. Peter Centre in
the West End has operated a drug injection room for three years
without an exemption under the country's drug laws.

But police have no plans to make any arrests in the centre or
recommend to the city that the injection room be shut down, said
Insp. Scott Thompson, the department's drug policy coordinator.

"This is not something that has a big impact on public order in any
way, shape or form, from what I can gather," Thompson told the
Courier yesterday. "When you look at our resources and the intent of
what we're trying to accomplish in relation to public disorder, it
doesn't seem to me that would be a huge priority."

The centre houses a day health program and a 24-hour care residence.
It caters to people with AIDS and those with mental illnesses and addictions.

About 70 per cent of the participants at the centre have either a
history of using substances or are struggling with addiction.

Up to 50 clients of the centre regularly use the three-stall
injection room. All clients are HIV-positive and have trouble
managing their illness.

Thompson said the department's drug enforcement is focused on open
drug use, particularly in parks and schools. He also noted the
department was aware the centre has operated an injection room since
February 2002.

Thompson said police assumed the centre received an exemption three
years ago under section 56 of the federal Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act (CDSA).

The exemption would mean nurses and clients couldn't be charged with
a drug crime while inside the room at the centre, located at Comox and Thurlow.

Vancouver Coastal Health, on behalf of the centre, applied to Health
Canada in 2002 for the exemption. The request was included in the
application for Insite, the city's injection site on East Hastings.

Insite, which opened in September 2003, received the exemption but it
is not clear why the centre didn't. Health Canada declined to give a reason.

Paul Duchesne, a spokesman for Health Canada, said all requests under
section 56 of the CDSA are confidential. But Duchesne said Health
Canada considers the injection room an illegal facility because it
didn't receive an exemption.

Health Canada has no plans to request the centre to shut down its
three-stall injection room and is leaving the matter in the hands of police.

"Without an exemption, the operation of an injection site would be a
matter for local law enforcement," Duchesne said.

Maxine Davis, executive director of the centre, told the Courier last
week that the College of Registered Nurses and a lawyer were
consulted before offering the service in February 2002.

The centre announced in April 2002 that it was operating the service.
Davis said she met with police the next day and, so far, they have
not arrested anybody.

Despite the police's position, Thompson urged the centre to seek an
exemption and determine why it didn't get the exemption.

Davis said the centre only learned a few months ago that it didn't
receive the exemption when Vancouver Coastal Health asked if it
wanted the exemption renewed.

"I'm quite surprised that they didn't have one and it appears [the
centre] was as well," Thompson said.