Pubdate: Thu, 14 Jun 2007
Source: Victoria News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Victoria News
Contact:  http://www.vicnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1267
Author: Brennan Clarke
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

MP PRESSES FOR HARM REDUCTION DOLLARS

Fresh off addressing his G8 counterparts on how to  solve the world's 
health care crises, local MP 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, the MP 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 press release last week  urging the 
province and the federal government to "come  to the table with the 
resources to make the centre a  reality."

The $4.6-million 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, a Liberal, noted that the Conservative federal  government 
"rejected a plea for a measly $150,000" for  the centre and pointed 
to the 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, Martin maintains a keen interest  in Africa's 
AIDS crisis and has made more than two  dozen trips to the continent 
over the last decade.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman