DRUG AND ALCOHOL RECOVERY HOMES

The chickens are finally coming home to roost for Gordon Campbell and
the B.C. Liberals. For years those working with the less fortunate in
our society (the front-line troops) have been ringing the alarm bells
that Gordon Campbell's cuts to social programs and services delivered
to people were too deep and unnecessary. Now, the government's own
task force is confirming those dire warnings.

The B.C. Liberals' task force on unlicensed drug and alcohol recovery
homes announced on August 10, 2006, shows how badly Gordon Campbell's
destructive social agenda has hurt the most vulnerable citizens in
our society. In 2002, in his misguided desire to cut direly-needed
programs for the less fortunate and funnel the so-called "savings"
into the pockets of Big Corporations the Premier deregulated the
province's alcohol and drug recovery homes. As a result, many
patients are now fighting their addictions in poorly-run, inadequate
and sometimes dangerous facilities.

The declining state of British Columbia's alcohol and drug recovery
system is a damning indictment of the B.C. Liberal record promoting
ruthless cuts to programs and service delivery. In 2002, Gordon
Campbell called the regulations governing addiction rehab facilities
"red tape" and summarily eliminated them. As a result, many people
struggling with addictions are now being treated in terrible conditions.

In Rural B.C., such as in Yale-Lillooet, programs once available no
longer exist as they fell under Gordon Campbell's axe-man. In the
past 15 months at the Legislature and as I travel across British
Columbia I have been very vocal informing people about this uncaring
Campbell Government's lack of action on the plight of the
disadvantaged, such as those fighting addictions. While the
government's decision to strike a task force on these facilities is
welcome; however, it only comes as a response to a problem that
Premier Gordon Campbell and his destructive policies have created in
the first place.

Part of the answer is to bring back the safeguards and controls for
patients that Mr. Campbell eliminated four years ago. While the task
force may well provide useful recommendations, the B.C. Liberals need
to immediately start work in re-regulating the alcohol and drug rehab
system before more patients are forced into inadequate and dangerous facilities.

Harry S. Lali, MLA, Yale-Lillooet