LOWE DOWN WITH INJECTION SITES

Victoria Mayor Wants Three Sites, Thinks Vancouver Needs
Five

Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe says Vancouver could use another five
supervised injection sites in addition to its one facility on East
Hastings to deal with the drug problem.

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan told the Courier last month he will not
lobby the federal government for more injection sites because "there
isn't a great enthusiasm for this technique" from the minority ruling
Conservatives.

"He's in a different situation because he already has a site," Lowe
said. "But I think Vancouver needs five more."

Despite Sullivan's position and the Conservatives' stance on injection
sites, Lowe said Victoria will apply this year to Health Canada to get
approval for three supervised injection sites.

The request comes after a report released last month by the Centre for
Addictions Research of B.C. concluded the estimated 2,000 addicts in
the provincial capital need help.

Having three sites will "decentralize" the service, said Lowe, who
wants support services such as counselling to be included in the facilities.

Lowe said having Sullivan as an ally would be an asset when Victoria
sends its proposal to Health Canada. Sullivan has called the city's
injection site, Insite, a temporary measure.

Insite's operating agreement with the federal government expires in
December. If the Conservative cabinet fails to extend Insite's
licence, Lowe believes it will crush Victoria's chances of getting
injection sites.

"I don't think we would have a hope," he said.

Lowe said he understands Health Minister Tony Clement has the final
say on Victoria's proposal. But he doesn't believe a decision on the
merits of injection sites should be politicized.

"If the staff in the department look at it and say it's something that
we should be looking at, it may be very difficult for the health
minister to not sign off on it. But if he does sign off on it, then he
may be criticized for playing politics instead of looking after the
best interests of our community."

Lowe is aware of the Conservatives' cool reception to injection sites.
But he said governments come and go and there will be an election
soon. "We know it's going to be an uphill battle, but if you don't
try, you'll never get anything. We believe this is the right thing to
do. We believe it will create some public order on our streets, and we
believe that Victoria is small enough that it can make a
difference."

Sullivan and a non-profit society are working on a proposal to have
doctors prescribe legal drugs to up to 800 addicts in the Downtown
Eastside.

Lowe said he supports the idea of the plan but added that such a
program shouldn't be traded for injection sites. Insite is North
America's only legal injection site. It opened in September 2003.