Derek Finkle: Consumption sites ruining neighbourhoods by increasing public drug use, overdoses
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Within weeks, the amount of new drug activity, along with assaults and public sex acts, was such that students required police escorts to and from the park at recess. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, already in campaign mode, held a press conference in Victor-Rousselot Park on July 12, 2024, to announce that, if elected, his Conservatives would shut down injection sites 'next to schools, playgrounds and anywhere else they endanger the public.'
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Six days later, Guy Felicella, one of British Columbia's most vocal defenders of injection sites, flew to Montreal and recorded his own monologue in the same park. Felicella, a harm-reduction advocate who survived three decades of addiction and six overdoses before turning his life around, is B.C.'s poster boy for injection sites.
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During Felicella's brief visit to the park, he said he saw none of the things residents had been complaining about. Felicella steadfastly denies the possibility that injection sites cause increases in crime and disorder even though he is open about his own lengthy criminal record, which includes numerous convictions for break and enter, drug trafficking and uttering threats. (He has denied a judge's accusations of violence, and threats of violence, against women that recently surfaced in a 1995 sentencing decision for an ex-girlfriend of Felicella's who pleaded guilty to stealing $18,500 from the Calgary bank where she worked as a teller that have not previously been part of his inspirational life story.)
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Felicella attributed the lack of open drug use in Victor-Rousselot Park to the new injection site next door. As far as he was concerned, the approach was 'working as it should,' and the crime and disorder that had required police at school recess seemingly did not exist.
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A year has passed: was Guy Felicella right? Did the site work as it should? Was Montreal's St. Henri neighbourhood full of NIMBYs who fabricated a bunch of scary incidents to get it moved out?
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One of the residents representing St. Henri in that process before Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant was no slouch. Michael Mackenzie, a professor of social work and pediatrics at McGill University, is also the Canada research chair in child well-being.
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Vancouver Sun
17 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
Pierre Poilievre draws cheers and criticism at Alberta byelection debate
Pierre Poilievre was greeted with cheers and applause by the hundreds of Albertans who showed up to watch a two-and-a-half-hour political debate on a sunny Tuesday evening in July. The Camrose and District Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidates' forum featuring 10 of the people who are vying to represent Battle River—Crowfoot in the Aug. 18 byelection. 'My mission here is to give national leadership to the issues that are of local importance,' Poilievre told the sold-out crowd. The Conservative leader is widely expected to win the sprawling eastern Alberta riding, which is considered one of the safest Tory seats in the country. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Damien Kurek won more than 82 per cent of the vote in the April election. He resigned to allow Poilievre, who lost his own seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton, the chance to return to the House of Commons in the fall. A crowd of Poilievre's supporters was outside the venue before things got underway, many carrying signs with his name. Inside, the signs had to be put away. The moderator kept a tight schedule, cutting off the microphones of anyone who ran over their allotted time as the candidates answered a range of questions submitted by the public about the economy, health care privatization, electoral reform and immigration. The candidates seated at a long table on a stage occasionally took aim at Poilievre, particularly for the fact that he does not live in the riding and is running to progress his political career. Liberal candidate Darcy Spady introduced himself by saying, 'I'm from Three Hills, and I don't want to be prime minister' — a line that elicited chuckles from the crowd and from Poilievre when he repeated it. Spady said he wanted to bring local issues to the government caucus and give an electorate that has historically voted Conservative the option of voting in a centrist. 'I'd like to grow the culture so the next generation can say, 'Oh, we can choose a Liberal, a Conservative, a moderate, a NDP,' he said in an interview after the debate. 'The stigma of only voting to the right here, in my home, all my life… I don't like that.' Poilievre argued that electing the leader of a political party is a trade-off — leaders are on the road much of the time, he said. 'The other side, though, is that leader can bring a very powerful megaphone to the local issues of the community,' he added. Independent candidate Bonnie Critchley pointed out in her closing statement that several candidates, including Poilievre, won't be able to vote in the byelection because they don't live in the riding. 'I firmly believe that Mr. Poilievre is too busy with his personal ambitions to give a rat's backside about us,' Critchley said in her closing statement. She got loud cheers from the crowd earlier in the evening as she argued for local representation. 'If you want to run for an area, you need to live here. This longest ballot crap, that's got to stop,' she said. More than 200 candidates were signed up to run in the byelection as of Tuesday, most of whom were sponsored by the Longest Ballot Committee protest group. The group says it's trying to get attention for electoral reform, arguing that Canada needs to end the first-past-the-post system. As a result of the protest, Elections Canada has decided that voters will write in the name of their selected candidate on a modified ballot in the byelection, rather than selecting from a list of 200. The longest ballot group signed up 85 people to run in Carleton during the April election, and ran dozens of candidates in byelections last summer. Poilievre called the Longest Ballot Committee 'a total scam that must be stopped,' and pledged that if he's elected, he will put forward legislative changes to ensure it doesn't happen again. In opening and closing statements, a number of candidates said Ottawa takes advantage of Alberta and pledged to try to end equalization. One candidate expressed sympathy for Alberta's separatist movement. There was broad agreement from candidates that, while immigration has historically been important, Canada needs to pull back on the number of people it is letting in. 'We must have more people leaving than coming over the next several years as we bring down our population,' Poilievre said. Green Party candidate Ashley MacDonald and the NDP's Katherine Swampy called immigration one of the country's strengths. Critchley and fellow Independent candidate Sarah Spanier made pitches to voters that they would hold a powerful position as Independent MPs in a minority government, and would leverage that to help the riding. The forum also featured candidates from the People's Party of Canada, the Libertarian Party, the Christian Heritage Party and the United Party of Canada. 'I think we all know this is Pierre's riding to lose here; he's definitely going to win,' MacDonald said in his closing statement. 'So please, take a chance.' — by Fakiha Baig in Camrose, Alta., and Sarah Ritchie in Ottawa Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here .
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Edmonton Journal
Pierre Poilievre draws cheers and criticism at Alberta byelection debate
Article content Pierre Poilievre was greeted with cheers and applause by the hundreds of Albertans who showed up to watch a two-and-a-half-hour political debate on a sunny Tuesday evening in July. Article content The Camrose and District Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidates' forum featuring 10 of the people who are vying to represent Battle River—Crowfoot in the Aug. 18 byelection. Article content Article content Damien Kurek won more than 82 per cent of the vote in the April election. He resigned to allow Poilievre, who lost his own seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton, the chance to return to the House of Commons in the fall. Article content A crowd of Poilievre's supporters was outside the venue before things got underway, many carrying signs with his name. Inside, the signs had to be put away. Article content The moderator kept a tight schedule, cutting off the microphones of anyone who ran over their allotted time as the candidates answered a range of questions submitted by the public about the economy, health care privatization, electoral reform and immigration. Article content The candidates seated at a long table on a stage occasionally took aim at Poilievre, particularly for the fact that he does not live in the riding and is running to progress his political career. Article content Article content Liberal candidate Darcy Spady introduced himself by saying, 'I'm from Three Hills, and I don't want to be prime minister' — a line that elicited chuckles from the crowd and from Poilievre when he repeated it. Article content Article content Spady said he wanted to bring local issues to the government caucus and give an electorate that has historically voted Conservative the option of voting in a centrist. Article content 'I'd like to grow the culture so the next generation can say, 'Oh, we can choose a Liberal, a Conservative, a moderate, a NDP,' he said in an interview after the debate. Article content 'The stigma of only voting to the right here, in my home, all my life… I don't like that.' Article content Poilievre argued that electing the leader of a political party is a trade-off — leaders are on the road much of the time, he said. 'The other side, though, is that leader can bring a very powerful megaphone to the local issues of the community,' he added.
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
‘Pierre's riding to lose': Alberta byelection candidates take part in debate
Pierre Poilievre was greeted with cheers and applause by the hundreds of Albertans who showed up to watch a two-and-a-half-hour political debate on a sunny Tuesday evening in July. The Camrose and District Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidates' forum featuring 10 of the people who are vying to represent Battle River-Crowfoot in the Aug. 18 byelection. 'My mission here is to give national leadership to the issues that are of local importance,' Poilievre told the sold-out crowd. The Conservative leader is widely expected to win the sprawling eastern Alberta riding, which is considered one of the safest Tory seats in the country. View image in full screen Damien Kurek won the riding of Battle River-Crowfoot for the federal Conservatives in the last election, but he resigned to allow Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost in his Ottawa-area riding, to run in a byelection. Global News Damien Kurek won more than 82 per cent of the vote in the April election. Story continues below advertisement He resigned to allow Poilievre, who lost his own seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton, the chance to return to the House of Commons in the fall. A crowd of Poilievre's supporters was outside the venue before things got underway, many carrying signs with his name, but inside, the signs had to be put away. View image in full screen Conservative Party of Canada candidate Pierre Poilievre speaks during the Battle RiverÐCrowfoot byelection candidate forum in Camrose, Alta. on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson The moderator kept a tight schedule, cutting off the microphones of anyone who ran over their allotted time as the candidates answered a range of questions submitted by the public about the economy, health care privatization, electoral reform and immigration. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The candidates seated at a long table on a stage occasionally took aim at Poilievre, particularly for the fact that he does not live in the riding and is running to progress his political career. Story continues below advertisement Liberal candidate Darcy Spady introduced himself by saying, 'I'm from Three Hills, and I don't want to be prime minister' — a line that elicited chuckles from the crowd and from Poilievre when he repeated it. Spady said he wanted to bring local issues to the government caucus and give an electorate that has historically voted Conservative the option of voting in a centrist. 'I'd like to grow the culture so the next generation can say, 'Oh, we can choose a Liberal, a Conservative, a moderate, a NDP,' he said in an interview after the debate. 'The stigma of only voting to the right here, in my home, all my life… I don't like that.' Poilievre argued that electing the leader of a political party is a trade-off — leaders are on the road much of the time, he said. 'The other side, though, is that leader can bring a very powerful megaphone to the local issues of the community,' he added. View image in full screen Independent candidate Bonnie Critchley campaigns in the riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, where Pierre Poilievre is attempting to earn a seat in Camrose, Alta., on Tuesday July 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken Independent candidate Bonnie Critchley pointed out in her closing statement that several candidates, including Poilievre, won't be able to vote in the byelection because they don't live in the riding. Story continues below advertisement 'I firmly believe that Mr. Poilievre is too busy with his personal ambitions to give a rat's backside about us,' Critchley said in her closing statement. She got loud cheers from the crowd earlier in the evening as she argued for local representation. 'If you want to run for an area, you need to live here. This longest ballot crap, that's got to stop,' she said. More than 200 candidates were signed up to run in the byelection as of Tuesday, most of whom were sponsored by the Longest Ballot Committee protest group. The group says it's trying to get attention for electoral reform, arguing that Canada needs to end the first-past-the-post system. As a result of the protest, Elections Canada has decided that voters will write in the name of their selected candidate on a modified ballot in the byelection, rather than selecting from a list of 200. The longest ballot group signed up 85 people to run in Carleton during the April election, and ran dozens of candidates in byelections last summer. Poilievre called the Longest Ballot Committee 'a total scam that must be stopped,' and pledged that if he's elected, he will put forward legislative changes to ensure it doesn't happen again. Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen An example of a ballot in the riding of Carleton, where Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre lost his seat in the 2025 federal election. Many of those on the ballot were members of a protest group called the Longest Ballot Committee. Justin Tang/ The Canadian Press In opening and closing statements, a number of candidates said Ottawa takes advantage of Alberta and pledged to try to end equalization. One candidate expressed sympathy for Alberta's separatist movement. There was broad agreement from candidates that, while immigration has historically been important, Canada needs to pull back on the number of people it is letting in. 'We must have more people leaving than coming over the next several years as we bring down our population,' Poilievre said. Green Party candidate Ashley MacDonald and the NDP's Katherine Swampy called immigration one of the country's strengths. Critchley and fellow Independent candidate Sarah Spanier made pitches to voters that they would hold a powerful position as Independent MPs in a minority government, and would leverage that to help the riding. Story continues below advertisement The forum also featured candidates from the People's Party of Canada, the Libertarian Party, the Christian Heritage Party and the United Party of Canada. 'I think we all know this is Pierre's riding to lose here; he's definitely going to win,' MacDonald said in his closing statement. 'So please, take a chance.'
