Saving lives
- Details
- Published on Friday, 01 April 2016 16:30
- Written by editor
Last week, we were in the room when federal Health Minister Jane Philpott said she was “very moved” by her visit to Insite, Vancouver’s supervised injection site. She went on to praise Insite for saving countless lives. [1]
After years of attack from the Harper Government, it was a relief to hear a federal health minister taking scientific evidence about the overwhelming benefits of harm reduction seriously.
However, a Harper-era law, Bill C - 2, is still keeping other sites from opening in communities across the country.
Send a message to Canada’s new health minister and your member of parliament now asking them to get rid of the mean-spirited Bill C - 2.
Minister Philpott’s visit and words mark a huge shift in federal tone... - the Harper government spent years trying to shut down this life saving service - but more than a shift in tone is needed to allow new life-saving sites to open.
This is an important opportunity to make sure the government knows they have public support to scrap Bill C - 2. Even though the Liberal Party committed to evidence-based decision making during the election, they will be under intense pressure from lobbyists who oppose harm reduction services.
Send a message now to let Minister Philpott and your MP know they have your support to save lives by getting rid of this law.
For many years, communities and organizations have been leading battles to keep Insite open, to establish access to harm reduction services including additional supervised-injection sites, and to fight Bill C-2. [2]
Opposition to Bill C-2 is growing; health officials, including BC Health Minister Terry Lake and Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall, have called for an end to the law. [3]
But until this law, the so-called “Respect for Communities Act”, is repealed, people most vulnerable to HIV and Hepatitis C infection and fatal overdose will remain at risk. [4]
We can help prevent this needless harm, but we need to act now. Click here to send a message to Minister Philpott and your Member of Parliament
Thank you for helping us support the work that advocates have been doing for years,
Adam and Jen, BC Health Coalition Staff
To learn more:
- The History of Insite (Portland Hotel Society) https://www.phs.ca/index.php/project/the-history-of-insite/
- Insite: evidence, ideology and the fight for harm reduction (Pivot Legal Society) http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/pivotlegal/legacy_url/193/pivotposterinsite.pdf?1345765544
- “Insight into Insite” provides a plain-language summary of the research into Vancouver’s supervised injection site (Urban Health Research Initiative, 2010) http://www.cfenet.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/insight_into_insite.pdf
Sources:
[1] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/insite-gets-stamp-of-approval-from-canadas-health-minister/article28332223/
[2] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bill-c-2-could-impede-harm-reduction-sites-advocates-say/article23608197/
[3,4] http://www.vancourier.com/news/health-authority-plans-for-more-drug-injection-sites-in-vancouver-1.2156612
British Columbia Health Coalition · 3102 Main St, 302,
Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, BC V5T 3G7, Canada
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