NEEDLE EXCHANGE SITE GARNERS SUPPORT AT ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING

Three Victoria-Beacon Hill candidates, including NDP MLA Carole
James, threw their support behind a fixed needle exchange site during
an all-candidates meeting Wednesday night (April 29) at Our Place.

Green party candidate Adam Saab felt it was one way to start tackling
the psychological issues associated with people living in poverty and
addicted to drugs. Support for a fixed needle exchange site was also
echoed by independent Saul Anderson.

"Victoria definitely needs a needle exchange site, there's no
question," said the Victoria taxi driver. "We need harm reduction
programs because they save lives. Drug users are not criminals in the
true sense. They are people who are suffering and need help. It's a
health problem not a criminal problem."

Liberal candidate Dallas Henault took a neutral stance on the issue.
He assured people that the province is looking at the option of a
fixed needle exchange site in Victoria and will continue to work with
the community.

"Whatever the community thinks is best, we'll move forward with that," he said.

Henault spent the majority of the meeting defending his party's track
record, occasionally receiving boos from the crowd. He said the
government has helped 4,600 people, 470 in Victoria alone, find
housing in the past 18 months.

"Because we have the solid foundation economically, we're able to
provide services for people right across the province. Currently we
have a rental assistance program, we have some of the lowest income
taxes in the country .. and we have the third highest level of income
assistance in Canada. We're making progress and we've set out an
ambitious agenda that's going to tackle homelessness."

As leader of the Opposition, James took the opportunity to criticize
the Liberal government on its efforts addressing poverty. She pointed
out that B.C. still has the highest child poverty rate in the
country, homelessness has doubled and even tripled in some
communities, and seniors care and home care support for people with
disabilities has been scaled back.

"Everyone should have an opportunity to succeed in our province,"
said James, who received strong support from the crowd throughout the
meeting. "That means measuring poverty, building affordable housing,
increasing minimum wage and giving supports to people who are living
on income assistance."

Instead of increasing minimum wage, Saab and Anderson want to see a
guaranteed livable income established. Both said it would be the most
effective way to address the problems associated with homelessness.