PRIME MINISTER BACKS SEWAGE TREATMENT, PANS SAFE INJECTION SITE

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to Victoria provided a renewed
sense of optimism in the drive to build a sewage treatment plant in
the Capital Region, but dashed the hopes of those who support
building a safe injection site in the city.

During a media conference following his speech to the Greater
Victoria Chamber of Commerce Friday, Harper confirmed that the
federal government would be prepared to fund one-third of such a
project but called on local politicians to drive the sewage agenda.

"I'd like to see it high on the agenda," Harper said, adding that "we
would expect the initiative for that would come from municipal authorities."

Afterwards, Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe, who also chairs the Capital
Regional District board, said Harper's comments should help motivate
those municipalities that have yet to back the sewage treatment proposal

"The ball is in the CRD's court and as chair of the CRD, I'm hoping
to lead this initiative," Lowe said. "One of the partners has said
they're willing to come on board, so if we'll be requiring sewage
treatment in the future you might as well jump at it when the money
is available."

Lowe said it's likely that the CRD will begin costing out options
once an upcoming report on sewage treatment has been reviewed.

The $600,000 study by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry is slated for delivery in July.

Lowe also talked with Harper about the possibility of a safe
injection site for Victoria's IV drug using community, an idea that
gathered momentum during Paul Martin's brief tenure as PM.

But Harper, in keeping with his government's conservative position on
drug use, was less than enthusiastic about the idea.

"He's more than willing to meet with the various parties, but safe
injection sites are totally against the platform of his government,
so it would be very difficult for him to come out and say 'yes' or
'no,'" Lowe said.

The chamber of commerce urged Harper to push for redevelopment of the
Belleville ferry terminal, although chamber president Robin Adair
acknowledged that the issue is relatively new to the Prime Minister.

"The Prime Minister was actually very responsive, but it's not
something the government has been hearing a lot about," Adair said.

Harper told reporters that his government considers Belleville an
important "gateway" to Canada and is having some discussions with the
province about "priorities and sequencing."

Harper also unveiled proposed electoral reforms Friday, a promise to
work toward an elected senate and moving to fixed election dates,
with the first slated for sometime in the fall of 2009.

"I think those who have done it (including B.C.) have mixed feelings
about it because it does limit the government's advantage to some
degree," he said.

Like his predecessor, Paul Martin, Harper pledged to give B.C. more
MPs in the House of Commons.

B.C.'s share of federal ridings "departs substantially from the
principle of population," Harper noted.