No supervised injection sites: Mayor Tremblay stomps on Cactus

Québec•

No supervised injection sites: Mayor Tremblay stomps on Cactus

More : Cactus Montréal, Gay Village, Gerald Tremblay, Safe Injection Site, Village Security Petition, Ville de Montréal

by RG - 2B staff on February 10, 2012

This Tuesday, February 7, Montréal Mayor Gérald Tremblay announced that he would allow the creation of supervised injection sites (SIS), but only in establishments linked with the public health and social services network, and not in community (or non-profit) organisations. This decision, which was applauded by many residents of downtown, goes against the recommendations formed by a working group created by the Public Health Department of Montréal.

The community organisation Cactus, which comes to the aid of drug addicts, wants to open a supervised injection site like Insite in Vancouver, but the Mayor of Montréal wants nothing of it. “We have discussed this issue at length and there is no way we are going to see a SIS in a community organisation like Cactus,” declared Gérald Tremblay at the last Ville-Marie Borough Council meeting. “This ‘no’ is unanimous. If it is to be done, it will be done in a hospital or in another public health establishment.”

The Mayor continued, saying that the sector where Cactus is located, on the corner of Sainte-Catherine and Sanguinet, “already contains too many people in crisis.” He added: “Let’s make us of our public health establishments. That’s what they are there for.” The Dollard-Cormier Centre, on the corner of Saint-Hubert and Louvain East and the Sainte Jeanne-d’Arc Hospital, on Saint-Urbain and Prince Arthur West, are among the sites being considered. Gérald Tremblay will be discussing the issue with the Québec Minister of Health Yves Bolduc within the next few weeks.

Relief for residents, disappointment for community organisations

The decision was met with relief of the part of many residents of downtown, who applauded the Mayor’s statements. On social networking sites, some of the petitioners for increased security in Montréal’s Gay Village were congratulating themselves for having attracted the city’s attention. They approve the creation of a SIS in public health establishments in several of Montréal’s boroughs, which they believe would complement the work of community sector workers.

These community workers, surprised by the Mayor’s decision, believe that this kind of solution will miss the mark. According to the founder and President of Cactus Montréal, Louis Letellier de Saint-Just, 93% of drug users that come to these community organisation do not use public health institutions. “It’s excessively deceitful,” he declared. “Mr. Tremblay spoke like a true politician and his words were reminiscent of political speeches based on fear, not on facts.”

A report published by the working group formed by the Public Health Department of Montréal sided more with Cactus, recommending the creation of “a network of SIS that would integrate the services offered by RSSS establishments and by community organisations,” which they later designate as “the best placed for entering in contact with the clientele.” The report suggested a strong collaboration between community organisations, public health and social services establishments and police forces.