Canada/Decriminalization of drugs: municipalities urge Victoria to do more

On the third day of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities' annual convention, the province's local elected officials passed three resolutions calling on Victoria to strengthen funding and regulation of the drug decriminalization pilot program, including extending possession and consumption bans to parks and sports fields.

Delegates at the Vancouver convention voted to call on the province to immediately fund addiction services such as treatment, detoxification, overdose prevention and safe, geographically accessible supply.treatment, detoxification, overdose prevention and safe supply in a geographically accessible way.

In their resolutions, the municipalities also called on the province to increase annual funding to the Justice Institute of British Columbia for the training of new officers to meet community needs.

In her opening address to the convention on Monday, the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Bonnie Henry, asked local leaders to be patient with the decriminalization program.In her opening address on Monday, the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Bonnie Henry, asked local leaders to be patient with the decriminalization agenda, saying that more arrests for illicit drugs will not solve the complex problems of addiction.

Places frequented by children

The most controversial debate during the vote concerned the province's request to further regulate the possession and use of illicit drugs in places where children congregate, such as bus stops and beaches.

This month, the federal government authorized British Columbia to modify its decriminalization program by prohibiting the possession of illegal drugs within 15 metres of outdoor playgrounds, wading pools, water playgrounds and skateboard parks. The ban came into force on Monday, September 18.

Some delegates opposed...

Some municipal delegates opposed the expansion of bans, agreeing with the province that the most important aspect of decriminalization is to eliminate the stigma attached to it.is to remove the criminal stigma from drug users, and that the resolution to ask the province to expand bans could undermine this effort.

Langley Mayor Nathan Pachal spoke out against the resolution, saying that his community has the third-largest homeless population in Metro Vancouver, and that police and courts are not enforcing the rules already in place.

If such bans solved the problem, we wouldn't have a preoccupation with open substance use in our community. But that's still the case," said Nathan Pachal.

We need to ensure that people have access to both treatment, which is lacking in Langley, and a safe supply so they don't die on our streets.

A quote from Nathan Pachal, Mayor of Langley

Port Moody councillor Haven Lurbiecki also opposed extending the ban on drug use to parks and sports fields, saying it would push drug users further and further into the margins.

No one wants children to openly consume psychoactive substances," she declared. That's not what I'm advocating. But, again, if we take this restrictive approach before we have the necessary services in place, there will simply be more deaths.

And others are for

Other delegates, however, were in favor of extending the bans.

We're a little concerned about safe spaces for drug use," said Smithers councillor Frank Wray. We have to remember that kids need safe places to play too.

Pouce Coupe Councillor Kurtis Rabel believes that existing bans don't go far enough.

Our communities are not places for experimentation," said Rabel. We're talking about harmful substances. While it's true that rehabilitation and detoxification are necessary, the open use of these substances causes serious problems in our communities and divides them.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca