Episode 23 revisits a serious issue plaguing Winnipeg for years- discarded used needles strewn all over parks and public walkways.
In Part 1 we explain how the surge started around 2018, after “harm reduction” advocates and unaccountable WRHA officials were allowed to discontinue needle return targets from their massive free needle giveaways.
Through their agents in the health care field the WRHA have handed out millions of needles since, yet refuse to provide data on how many they claim they’ve been picking up.
Our analysis of this week’s report about a city pick-up program shows 50% of the dirty rigs were within walking distance of the Legislature. This seems to prove the supposed need for a drug user site is outside Premier Wab Kinew’s office, and not in Point Douglas.
You’ll hear an explanation why Mayor Gillingham’s statement to the media on the issue lacks credibility:
“If there is any agency that is distributing needles… I think it’s up to those agencies also to be part of the solution in getting those needles back, rather than having needles just go out, be used and end up in a park where children play… This is about the health and safety of the public.”
City Councillors- including Gillingham – knew years ago what steps could be taken to mitigate the problem, including requiring needle return rates and colour coding needles to trace which agency was giving them out. Instead of taking responsibility when we reported on these facts in 2019, Coun. Cindy Gilroy now has to plead for priority clean-ups of inner-city parks, taking tax dollars away from other programs.
This crisis is a Brian Bowman legacy- he pressured police to coddle criminals and addicts who learned there was no consequence to their endangering the health of children and the safety of the community. As Bowman’s right hand man on Council then, Gillingham cannot distance himself now from his refusal to take action and allowing the risk of “harm reduction” programs to be offloaded onto children and other park users.
18.50 Part 2 – The latest columns in the Winnipeg Sun by Marty Gold on the Rezoning Open Houses and Parking Authority towing fiasco get a quick recap, plus a look at what’s coming up in the Sun and on the podcasts- including West End businesses fighting crime, questions about this year’s Pride parade on June 1, and an interview with North Kildonan councillor Jeff Browaty.
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