British Columbia police chiefs say half of all illegal narcotics seized on the province’s streets are being diverted from the NDP government’s safe supply program.Moreover, they say BC’s decriminalization ‘experiment’ is precluding them from stopping illegal drug use in public spaces such as hospitals and health facilities.Testifying before a House of Commons Health Committee in Ottawa, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, BC’s commanding officer of the RCMP’s E Division, cited recent seizures of hydromorphone — synthetic opioids — in Campbell River and Prince George as proof that organized crime has hijacked the province’s so-called ‘safe’ drug supply.Those drugs are in turn making their way to Alberta in what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith last week described as an “integrated drug market” between Alberta and BC, after announcing reform to Alberta’s drug treatment system — something BC has so far refused to do apart from making hard drugs more readily available to addicts..“When that happens, if it’s not in a place that’s an exception to the exemption, there is nothing police can do. It’s not a police matter in the absence of any other criminal behaviour.”Fiona Wilson, President of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police.Likewise, Fiona Wilson, president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police and deputy chief of the Vancouver Police Department, told the committee on Tuesday said police were essentially powerless to stop drug use in hospitals because they aren’t exempted from public spaces like schools, airports and some types of playgrounds.“When that happens, if it’s not in a place that’s an exception to the exemption, there is nothing police can do,” she said. “It’s not a police matter in the absence of any other criminal behaviour.”The issue came to a head after nurses union members complained they are being exposed to fentanyl, crack and other illegal drugs from users who openly smoke them in their hospital rooms. Security staff complain that they’re not trained to deal with the problem, which is exacerbated by the fact many addicts also have weapons when they’re admitted. .“It’s mayhem. I’m calling on Justin Trudeau and NDP Premier Eby to end the decriminalization and the tax-subsidized drugs and immediately put all our resources into recovery and treatment that will bring our loved ones home drug free,”Pierre Poilievre.Wilson said police warned government officials before the policy was enacted in January, 2023.“These are all things that we raised prior to decriminalization taking effect, that we don’t feel were adequately addressed, however we strongly support the notion of not trying to arrest ourselves out of this crisis. That is not going to save lives.”The BC government is trying to expand areas where open drug use is not permitted but is facing a court challenge from so-called ‘harm reduction’ advocates who argue it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.It’s essentially a federal issue because Ottawa had to allow the decriminalization from the Criminal Code at the request of a BC government that now finds its hands tied in the face of growing public opposition — and alarm — toward the policy.That prompted Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre's call to immediately revoke the program.“It’s mayhem,” said Poilievre. “I’m calling on Justin Trudeau and NDP Premier Eby to end the decriminalization and the tax-subsidized drugs and immediately put all our resources into recovery and treatment that will bring our loved ones home drug free,” he said..“I think all of us recognize that the program needs to respond and evolve to the concerns of British Columbians and what we’re seeing in communities.”BC Premier David Eby.Eby, meanwhile, said while he’s fighting to make changes to the program he still supports the basic premise of decriminalization.“I think all of us recognize that the program needs to respond and evolve to the concerns of British Columbians and what we’re seeing in communities.”“We are looking at options to ensure that we are meeting the very reasonable expectations of all British Columbians that, first of all, we treat addiction as a health issue and we try to keep people alive to get them into treatment and that treatment is available,” he said.
British Columbia police chiefs say half of all illegal narcotics seized on the province’s streets are being diverted from the NDP government’s safe supply program.Moreover, they say BC’s decriminalization ‘experiment’ is precluding them from stopping illegal drug use in public spaces such as hospitals and health facilities.Testifying before a House of Commons Health Committee in Ottawa, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, BC’s commanding officer of the RCMP’s E Division, cited recent seizures of hydromorphone — synthetic opioids — in Campbell River and Prince George as proof that organized crime has hijacked the province’s so-called ‘safe’ drug supply.Those drugs are in turn making their way to Alberta in what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith last week described as an “integrated drug market” between Alberta and BC, after announcing reform to Alberta’s drug treatment system — something BC has so far refused to do apart from making hard drugs more readily available to addicts..“When that happens, if it’s not in a place that’s an exception to the exemption, there is nothing police can do. It’s not a police matter in the absence of any other criminal behaviour.”Fiona Wilson, President of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police.Likewise, Fiona Wilson, president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police and deputy chief of the Vancouver Police Department, told the committee on Tuesday said police were essentially powerless to stop drug use in hospitals because they aren’t exempted from public spaces like schools, airports and some types of playgrounds.“When that happens, if it’s not in a place that’s an exception to the exemption, there is nothing police can do,” she said. “It’s not a police matter in the absence of any other criminal behaviour.”The issue came to a head after nurses union members complained they are being exposed to fentanyl, crack and other illegal drugs from users who openly smoke them in their hospital rooms. Security staff complain that they’re not trained to deal with the problem, which is exacerbated by the fact many addicts also have weapons when they’re admitted. .“It’s mayhem. I’m calling on Justin Trudeau and NDP Premier Eby to end the decriminalization and the tax-subsidized drugs and immediately put all our resources into recovery and treatment that will bring our loved ones home drug free,”Pierre Poilievre.Wilson said police warned government officials before the policy was enacted in January, 2023.“These are all things that we raised prior to decriminalization taking effect, that we don’t feel were adequately addressed, however we strongly support the notion of not trying to arrest ourselves out of this crisis. That is not going to save lives.”The BC government is trying to expand areas where open drug use is not permitted but is facing a court challenge from so-called ‘harm reduction’ advocates who argue it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.It’s essentially a federal issue because Ottawa had to allow the decriminalization from the Criminal Code at the request of a BC government that now finds its hands tied in the face of growing public opposition — and alarm — toward the policy.That prompted Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre's call to immediately revoke the program.“It’s mayhem,” said Poilievre. “I’m calling on Justin Trudeau and NDP Premier Eby to end the decriminalization and the tax-subsidized drugs and immediately put all our resources into recovery and treatment that will bring our loved ones home drug free,” he said..“I think all of us recognize that the program needs to respond and evolve to the concerns of British Columbians and what we’re seeing in communities.”BC Premier David Eby.Eby, meanwhile, said while he’s fighting to make changes to the program he still supports the basic premise of decriminalization.“I think all of us recognize that the program needs to respond and evolve to the concerns of British Columbians and what we’re seeing in communities.”“We are looking at options to ensure that we are meeting the very reasonable expectations of all British Columbians that, first of all, we treat addiction as a health issue and we try to keep people alive to get them into treatment and that treatment is available,” he said.
