MP MARTIN WANTS CASH FOR HARM REDUCTION

Fresh off addressing his G8 counterparts on how to solve the world's
health care crises, Dr. Keith Martin remains more convinced than ever
that harm reduction is the best way to deal with Victoria's addiction
and homelessness crisis.

And he's urging fellow politicians of both the federal and provincial
variety to get with the program.

Martin, who addressed gathering of G8 parliamentarians in Berlin last
week, chastised the province for proposing to reallocate $450,000 of
AIDS Vancouver Island's budget to the Central and North Island at a
time when the organization faces significant financial challenges.

"The cuts that are taking place, the redistribution shuffle, it's
appalling," said Martin, Member of Parialment for Esquimalt-Juan de
Fuca.

"Just because there's a need in another part if the Island doesn't
mean you cut from this part of the Island."

Not only is AVI under pressure to find a new location for its
Cormorant Street needle exchange, it's trying to raise money for the
Access Health Centre, a comprehensive health clinic for low-income and
people, he said.

Last week, Martin issued a formal press release urging both the
provincal and federal governments to "come to the table with the
resources to make the centre a reality."

The $4.6 Access Health Centre, a partnership between AVI and the
Victoria Cool Aid Society, will replace the cramped health and dental
clinic facilities at Cool Aid's Store Street headquarters.

The facility will also include mental health services, addiction
treatment, a pharmacy and counselling and prevention programs.

Martin noted that the federal government "rejected a plea for a measly
$150,000" for the centre and pointed to the Harper government's
refusal to consider a safe injection site for Victoria as further
evidence of its indifference to harm reduction.

"They talking about getting tough on drugs, but they're not going to
put any money into harm reduction, and harm reduction is absolutely
essential to deal with substance abuse," Martin said.

A licensed physician, the Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP maintains a keen
interest in Africa's AIDS crisis and has made more than two dozen
trips to the continent alone over the last decade.