‘Calgarians deserve to know whether the city council believes the drug consumption site hasn’t worked as planned,’ says Dan Williams, Alberta addictions minister, offering to close the site if council asks
Dan Williams is Premier Danielle Smith’s point man on the addictions file.
He has a lot on his mind as we huddle over a coffee three blocks from the Calgary drug consumption site.
“I’d like to meet the activist or academic who truly believes drug consumption sites reduce crime, increase public health and don’t cause harm and disorder in the community.
“Nobody can honestly say after looking at the human carnage on display that this is working. This government has rejected the academics and the so-called authorities peddling their ideology.”
The ball is in Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Calgary city council’s court.
If they want the Calgary drug site gone, it will be gone and they can work with the province on a better plan with a much greater emphasis on getting addicts off drugs and staying off drugs.
Gondek and council have no excuses. The city politicians just have to ask the Smith government.
Here is Williams.
“If the City of Calgary wants to see the drug consumption site removed they’re very welcome to let me know and I’ll work with them just like I did in Red Deer.
“There is an alternative to sacrificing your communities and sacrificing the dignity of those in active addiction.”
Where have Gondek and the rest of city council been on this issue?
Nowhere.
They talk about a climate emergency, what about this very real and in-your-face emergency?
“I think they owe it to the citizens to respond to the crisis unfolding on their streets. I hope city council will listen to the average citizen.,” says Williams.
“I think Calgarians deserve to know whether the city council believes the drug consumption site hasn’t worked as planned.”
For years many Calgarians have wanted the drug consumption site at the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre closed.
There was a public meeting at city council where folks pleaded with the politicians. There was frustration and tears.
Former-mayor Naheed Nenshi, now Alberta NDP leader, suggested the Chumir site, then said it was a mistake, then said the site could be moved and then said there should be more sites “to spread out the problem a little bit more.”
The drug site is still here.
There was a panel appointed by the provincial government hearing the outrage of a neighbourhood dealing with the constant crime and social disorder.
The drug site is still here.
Those who live near the drug site were told it would be in the history books by now. The magnet for mayhem would be gone.
Not.
Everyone with two bits of common sense to rub together knows a drug site, especially in the middle of lots of people and lots of small businesses is not the way to go.
It’s not working for anyone and in fact it’s making things worse.
Williams, quarterbacking a new plan, says it’s all about an alternative “to what has become not harm reduction but harm production.”
He speaks of patrolling paramedics giving overdosing addicts health care and putting them on the road to recovery. He talks of more detox beds, more treatment beds.
Williams and this scribbler walk through the neighbourhood by the drug site.
There is a sign on the door telling drug users to keep out.
At the Baptist church across the street from the site there is a big steel gate in front of the church’s side door with a city police sticker on it warning people to not look for trouble.
Williams says he’s talked to individuals who say their employees have faced machete attacks.
At Central Memorial Park the drug addicts far outnumber the others.
“Someone lit the tree on fire,” says the city hardhat.
There is all kinds of evidence of drug use even though the drug consumption site is just steps away.
A group gathers around a boom box belting out Folsom Prison Blues.
“I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.”
Williams politely asks addicts about themselves and whether they want to go to detox or recovery.
No takers.
At the Calgary police commission gabfest Wednesday new numbers speak of increased social disorder and grave concerns about illegal drug activities.
Those who feel very safe walking the streets of the city’s core at night. Six per cent.
Those who feel very safe at night sharing the streets with people dealing with addictions and mental health issues. Four per cent.
Williams says if Calgary city council finally wants an alternative to the drug site he’s ready and waiting.
“Albertans have seen through the lie that you have to destroy your community to be compassionate.”