According to Global News, The Brandon Sun and The Abbotsford News, the City of Abbotsford intends to defend its bylaw outlawing harm reduction in the City of Abbotsford, in part, on the grounds that it is unenforceable.
Despite some of the highest rates in Canada of HIV and Hep C the City of Abbotsford has decided to defend a bylaw, whose main defender has been newly-elected MLA Simon Gibson. Gibson has defended the bylaw based on his argument that, if Abbotsford denies its citizens constitutional rights guaranteed outside of Abbotsford drug addicts won’t move here.
(I know, eh?)
Global News reported earlier today:
[excerpt]
“The City of Abbotsford has filed a statement of defence in B.C. Supreme Court, suggesting the bylaw doesn’t prevent the local health authority from offering services to drug users, while also noting several community groups already distribute clean needles in the community.
“The bylaw does not restrict (the Fraser Health Authority) from using land within the boundaries of (Abbotsford) for all activities that are directed to addressing adverse medical outcomes associated with the consumption of illicit drugs,” says the response to civil claim, filed on July 2.
“Harm reduction measures, including needle exchange, are and have been provided by agencies other than the (health authority) within the territorial jurisdiction of (Abbotsford),” the document continues.”
[Full article]