ABBY DRUG STRATEGY SHOT DOWN

Had it been worded differently, an Abbotsford resolution to give "autonomy"
to municipalities in deciding drug strategies may have passed at last
week's meeting of the Union of B.C. Municipalities.

Lower Mainland Municipalities Association president Bob Fearnley, who spoke
against the resolution, said his concern was over the wording.

"Autonomy means autonomy. I support municipalities being able to adopt
their own drug strategies but I was quite worried we were opening up a way
for the province to download the costs of these expensive programs," said
Fearnley, a City of North Vancouver councillor and also head of the LMMA
drug strategy committee.

"It was disappointing, but not unexpected," said Mayor Mary Reeves, who
blamed the resolution's failure on Vancouver-area delegates who lobbied for
a four-pillar drug strategy [prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm
reduction] during the week-long UBCM annual meeting.

Abbotsford councillors unanimously support a three-pillar approach, minus
harm reduction.

Reeves said it doesn't make sense to her to spend money to teach people how
to use needles wisely, when funds could be used for prevention and treatment.

"I want prevention and education not harm reduction," which is a reflection
of what she hears from parents in Abbotsford, Reeves said.

Fearnley said the harm reduction pillar is viewed as a way to steer people
with addictions to a place where they can get help and is a minor part
compared to treatment.

As for philosophical differences between the LMMA and Abbotsford, Fearnley
pointed out "we all want the same thing in the end: safe communities and
help for the people who need it."