Documentary I hope will be worth seeing: Fix: The Story of an Addicted City. (imdb.) The filmmaker, Nettie Wild, was just on the CBC discussing the film - seems like there has been lots of internal dissent within the NPA about the Four Pillars plan (aka The Vancouver Agreement). I guess people remain unconvinced that Harm Reduction - and the safe injection sites it implies - will work. The NPA mayoralty candidate, Jennifer Clarke, has endorsed the plan, as has her main opponent, Larry Campbell, although there's this:
I watched as Mayor Philip Owen's Four Pillar strategy for the Downtown Eastside was obstructed and thwarted by his own supporters, including the person who would become his own party's nominee for mayor.
Battling politicians, what fun. I think there is, at the very least, realization that something needs to be done now about Vancouver's East Side - ignoring it didn't make it go away.
There is some Vancouver-centered research on harm reduction here - all PDF files, unfortunately. Canadian stuff here.
I'm having a hard time finding anti-harm reduction stuff, but I'll update if I dig up anything beyond fact-free bulletin board chatter. ("The reason drugs are illegal is that they cause _more_ harm than alcohol and tobacco.")
Currently listening to: Strunz & Farrah - Caracol.
Posted by Bill Stilwell at October 15, 2002 07:38 PM