LIBERAL BACKS SAFE INJECTION

Federal Liberal heavyweight Bob Rae took a shot at the Conservative
Party and gave a shot in the arm to Mayor Alan Lowe's safe consumption
site bid. Rae met with local political, business and community leaders
and toured the city's addiction, mental illness and homeless services
last week.

"If local community, the council and the province are on board, our
position is license them and let it happen," Rae said.

The City of Victoria, in cooperation with the Vancouver Island Health
Authority, recently released its feasibility study on supervised
consumption options in the City of Victoria. The report recommended
the establishment of two to three sites in conjunction with health,
detoxificatication and treatment services.

Lowe is prepared to seek a federal exemption to establish the Victoria
model. The federal governent has demanded research data demonstrating
the Vancouver project's success before approving any more.

"I'm hearing from people right across the country that we do not have
enough spaces and places to treat people," Rae said.

"The Conservatives have almost got it the wrong way around. On the
economy they are hands off, but on social issues, they're
interventionist and want to tell everyone what to do. They're
responsible for the type of narrow, mean spirited, ideological
politics we're seeing in this country right now."

Local Liberal candidate Anne Park Shannon took Rae for a walk around
downtown Victoria and showed him many of the homelessness and drug
problems facing officials.

"He saw a lot of what's going on in Victoria and left with a strong
impression," she said.