ALDERMEN STOMP NEEDLE-SWAP IDEA

An off-the-cuff comment about locating a safe-injection site in
Calgary's downtown was dismissed out-of-hand by fellow-aldermen
yesterday. During a meeting where potential development in the
beleaguered East Village was being discussed, Ward 7 Ald. Druh Farrell
suggested a clean needle exchange could become part of the social
discussions in plans for the neighbourhood.

"There will be a social plan for the East Village and the whole
downtown -- we recognize we need certain facilities in the downtown,
perhaps we'll have a safe-injection site," she said.

But aldermen Gord Lowe and Ric McIver were quick to protest the
possibility.