After our reports in the Winnipeg Sun about the haphazard public consultation process for the proposed drug consumption site, Episode 5 focuses on a comparison raised by another Sun columnist.
Part 1– Our stories have detailed the limited outreach for the consultations by the NDP government and Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre, and what the proponents have heard from Point Douglas and East Exchange district stakeholders concerned with the potential of even more crime and disorder descending on their neighborhood.
The failed narrative of site supporters and the media is that anyone with questions are an enemy of addiction treatment.
With the area MLA Bernadette Smith being assigned by Wab Kinew to help fulfill his election promise, residents feel she is in a conflict of interest.
Where are city councillors or Mayor Scott Gillingham in this process to represent the community? Absent.
Yet the spike of vandalism and break-ins and violence they’ve suffered was directly connected to former Mayor Brian ‘don’t arrest the criminals’ Bowman, as homeless addicts and illegal riverbank encampments terrorized their neighborhoods
13.10- John Wintrup wrote: “There is a more rigorous and fulsome process outlined by the federal government for siting new cell towers compared to siting new safe consumption sites.”
Not a lot of people in Winnipeg know anything about the federal telecom tower approval process. It just so happens, Marty Gold is one of them.
17.35 Part 2- A major reason behind concerns about a fair and proper consultation not being conducted is the fact Argyle High School is right across the street. As Wintrup described it:
“The public is now considering the compatibility of safe consumption sites within 60 metres of schools — the length of an NHL ice sheet – well within an easy walking distance… Either someone at the provincial government thinks safe consumption sites 200 feet from schools are great, or did not think this through at all.”
23.00 – Listen to the audio of Bernadette Smith explaining how 200 Disraeli came to be listed as the address on the application- and assess it in light of Wintrup’s analysis.
The Health Canada rules for applications to establish a safe consumption site don’t even have a defined radius for notifications of nearby properties, services and political representatives, and what details are to be included.
But if this was a communications tower being proposed for 200 Disraeli, it would be vastly different- and better protect the public interest.
We have the details of the rules set out by ISED including
– a well-defined radius for notification mailings
– the information required including why the specific location is best-suited to the proposal,
– the stringent timelines for acknowledging and replying to public comments and questions, and for addressing or rectifying concerns
– the placement of newspaper ads
Another interesting point is that a communications tower is visited perhaps twice a year by one or two technicians for repair, maintenance or installation of a new dish.
Almost no traffic results, yet formal municipal concurrence is a requirement.
Yet for a site frequented by hundreds of addicts weekly to use drugs- and are allowed to walk out the door- it seems Health Canada has no such sign-off required.
Federal rules treat drug site consultations with less concern than a cell tower proposed in the middle of farmland. And the NDP knows it.
Here are the recent reports in the Sun:
Media Cheerleaders Won’t Deter Consumption Site Questions
Fake Consumption Site Consultations Not Fooling Pt. Douglas Stakeholders
“Please do not set this up in our neighborhood” Smith told about planned drug site
Dishonest Consumption Site Consultations Threat to Bernadette Smith’s Political Future
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