Pubdate: Mon, 9 May 2011
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Sarah Douziech, The Province
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Insite (Insite)

SUPREME COURT WILL HEAR CASE FOR LEAVING INSITE CENTRE OPEN

Canada's top court will hear arguments Thursday about whether a safe 
drug-injection site in Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood should be 
legally allowed to stay open under B.C.'s jurisdiction.

At issue before the Supreme Court of Canada is which government - 
federal or provincial - has power over Insite and whether shutting it 
down infringes on the human rights of drug users.

The site, co-managed by the Portland Hotel Society (PHS) and 
Vancouver's health authority, allows drug addicts clean, safe space 
and equipment to inject their own street drugs under medical staff 
supervision and has operated under federal drug-law exemptions for 
several years.

Recently, the federal Conservative government ended those exemptions 
and has been keen to close the facility.

PHS director Mark Townsend said Sunday he thought the evidence 
showing the site has saved lives and money should have been enough to 
convince Conservatives to cool their tough on crime agenda in Insite's case.

"It's easy to attack drug users," Townsend said. "This shouldn't be a 
political thing, it's a public-health thing."

As part of a lengthy legal battle between B.C. and the federal 
Conservative government, provincial courts decided in 2010 that 
Insite fell within provincial control under health care, preventing 
federal officials from shutting it down.

Ottawa appealed that decision, arguing provincial courts were 
"unjustified" in allowing provincial health interests to overrule 
federal drug laws.

The province and its 13 supporters, including PHS, the B.C. Civil 
Liberties Association and the Canadian Medical Association, argue 
that criminal law enforcement efforts are not undermined by Insite's 
operation. It also says Canada lacks any evidence to support its 
position, adding Insite hasn't had a negative impact on federal 
efforts to control narcotics.  
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake