MP Strahl Launches Drug Injection Sites Survey
OTTAWA – Mark Strahl, MP for Chilliwack-Hope, has mailed out a survey to all households in Chilliwack and Hope asking for input on the issue of “safe” injection sites in our community. An online version of the survey is also available.
“Chilliwack-Hope has experienced a marked increase in the number of intravenous drug users in our communities over the last several months,” stated Strahl. “As a result, drug overdoses, discarded hypodermic needles, and property crimes to feed drug habits have skyrocketed.”
“Some believe a drug injection site would help mitigate problems associated with illicit drug use,” added Strahl. “Others believe that a local drug injection site without adequate sobering and treatment beds will not help addicts get clean, or help our community deal with the issues surrounding illicit drug use.”
In the previous Parliament, the Conservative government implemented the Respect for Communities Act, which required the Federal Government to consult affected communities before allowing a drug injection site to be opened. The Trudeau Liberals announced plans to repeal this law late last year.
“Even if the Liberal government doesn’t believe we should have a say about a drug injection site opening in our community, I believe we should. I’m asking my constituents to please take a couple of minutes to respond to my survey so that I can relay the results to the Prime Minister,” said Strahl.
The survey is comprised of the following two questions:
Do you believe that the federal government should be able to approve a “safe”/supervised drug injection site without community consultations?
Do you believe that a “safe”/supervised drug injection site should be opened in Chilliwack-Hope?
MP Strahl is inviting all his constituents to take the survey before February 28th so that he can report their views to the Liberal government. To take the survey, please visit MP Strahl’s website at www.markstrahl.com/injection_sites
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