FILM SPARKS DEBATE ON DRUG ISSUES

We generally prefer to avoid unpleasant subjects at the movies but, last
Friday, Marilyn and I went to Fix: The Story of an Addicted City, the
acclaimed documentary movie filmed in the alleys of downtown Vancouver. It
was a subject we could not ignore.

The drug problem in Esquimalt and Victoria has yet to achieve the severity
of the crisis that exists in Vancouver but elements of the film could have
been filmed in the recesses of Victoria or Esquimalt. Fortunately, our
problem will never reach the crisis proportion of Vancouver's Downtown East
Side if we act now with intelligent enforcement and health policy.

The issue of drugs on our streets must be placed at the top of the public
agenda. Fix may provide the catalyst.

Philip Owen, former mayor of Vancouver and Alan Lowe, Victoria's mayor,
answered questions along with the film's producer, Nettie Wild, while David
Grierson, morning host of CBC's On the Island directed discussion from the
audience.

Lowe said he recognizes action is necessary and has asked the Vancouver
Island Health Authority (VIHA) for assistance in providing preventive,
treatment and support services. This is particularly brave because it was
opposition to Mayor Owen's advocacy for safe injection sites and the Four
Pillars Program that caused opposition to his re-election from inside his
own civic party, the NPA. The public was not impressed and promptly voted
most of the NPA out of office.

Drug pushers usually focus on a downtown area frequented by large numbers
of people but often start the process in local communities, schools,
entertainment venues and other people places. By addressing the problem,
Victoria is setting a standard for the region. Lowe is right to pursue
joint solutions with the VIHA. Other municipalities ought to follow suit
because drug use is present in most communities and directly or indirectly
affects everyone. Communities today are so interconnected that regional,
not piecemeal, approaches are needed to combat drug use. Cross-border
problems require cross-border solutions. Esquimalt, with increased
resources for community policing, is well positioned to participate in a
regional strategy to combat drug use and its associated crime. Esquimalt
also needs to join the discussions with VIHA. This is another example of
where the municipality should broaden its vision beyond its borders.

The problems exposed by Fix reveal an image that is not helpful to the
chamber of commerce or the tourist bureau. It is in both our economic
interest and our social interest to tackle the blight of drug usage head
on. Causes need to be identified, solutions developed, discussed fully and
implemented. The epidemic of drugs in our community is not an issue to be
covered up and swept under the rug. A good place to start on drug issues is
to support Alan Lowe's initiative as well as Owen's Four Pillar strategy,
consisting of prevention, treatment, enforcement, and harm reduction. The
Four Pillars need to be supported with education and rehabilitation.
Medically controlled drug dispensing to cut out the dealers and traffickers
should be considered. Fix focussed the debate on harm reduction through
provision of safe injection sites allowing addicts to shoot up in relative
safety and more sanitary conditions than on the street.

It removes some of the problem from public view but does not go far enough
in combatting the problem.

Until drug addiction is addressed as a health care issue, laws or policing
will not be able to control the drug epidemic.

Arresting addicts and putting them in jail may provide a night of shelter
at taxpayers expense but will keep them off the street only temporarily and
it does little to meet health and safety needs.

Physicians see the entire spectrum of life in their offices and hospital
emergency rooms.

It is often not pleasant.

I have counselled drug addicted mothers about their baby's health before
birth and looked after the addicted baby through the withdrawal period.

It is tragic to see the effects on a family of a drug abusing parent, son
or daughter.

The family's grief and hurt is profound, extending far beyond the immediate
drug user. Drugs affect society at its center and not just the margins.

Their abuse will only proliferate if it is ignored.

Councillors may boast about Esquimalt being a great community because it is
building a wonderful town hall/library and a recreation centre, or that it
has formed a standalone fire department.

But, will council put as much effort into combatting drugs in our community?

Thumbs Up

On a different subject, I would like to highlight and compliment Rod
Lavergne and Peggy Bran for bringing to council' s attention the human
rights issue surrounding equality of access for all citizens in regards to
the plans for the recreation centre retrofit.