Doctors for Safer Drug Policy

It’s not that hard to follow the evidence. #bcpoli

podcasts.apple.comEpisode 59: They’re Running Against UsPodcast Episode · Crackdown · October 15 · 1h 10m

podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/c... Listen to this before you vote! #bcpoli

defactomedia.ca'All I have left’: As election cycle spotlights homeless crisis, bylaw seizures ‘devastating’ for Victoria’s unhousedMany cities are seeing bylaw enforcement ramp up. BC’s capital is a case study — and it’s hurting those already most vulnerable

www.defactomedia.ca/unhoused-peo... #bcpoli #YYJ #Victoria "De Facto tracked the journey of their new possessions to the garbage dump — within days, in multiple cases — despite the City of Victoria’s insistence no such thing happens to new or otherwise functional items."

"One of the largest budget items in this plan — exceeding $3 million — was slated for police and bylaw. Nearly $2 million went to hiring a dozen bylaw officers ...and over $1 million per year went to hiring nine new Victoria police officers. "

"Meanwhile, London, Ont. provides washrooms, hot water, health care, and social services directly at encampments, rather than removing those supports or displacing unhoused people away from them."

"'Municipalities are put in a very, very tough position,' he explained. “On the other hand, what can municipalities do? Well, one of the things they can do is to not pass bylaws that are going to make the situation worse and increase the suffering of unhoused people.'” I.E. First, do no harm.

"And it's no surprise, it seems inevitable, that bylaw officers now think of themselves more doing policing work than municipal service work." "This blurring is apparent in Victoria’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan." #Victoria #YYJ

"'Much of this bylaw enforcement creates circumstances where people are overdosing because of the poison drug crisis, and they're using alone' after enforcement happens."

De Facto Journalism Co-op

A new carceral system by any other name.

The Bog Witch 🇨🇦@wickedwitchofpnw.bsky.social

"InVoLuNtArY tReAtmEnT iSn'T iNcAaRcErAtIoN" - Eby. Well, here in ye olde Okanagan, that is exactly where they are planning to locate the involuntary treatment: in a correctional facility! Please, enlighten us how this is not tantamount to incarceration in the penal system? #bcpoli

Doctors for Safer Drug Policy reposted

Euan Thomson

@drugdatadecoded.ca

David Eby just said he’s planning to expand drug jails to all regions of BC, “so people can get the help they need, even if they can’t ask for it.” Lowen is the only one talking any sense on public safety: housing, basic needs, safe supply, harm reduction. Eby is lost.

Doctors for Safer Drug Policy reposted

@defactomedia.ca

INVESTIGATION: Victoria denies that its bylaw officers put unhoused people’s new, perfectly good tents in the trash. So we tracked them with AirTags. www.defactomedia.ca/bylaw-office...

defactomedia.caVictoria bylaw officers trashed newly donated tents within days — contrary to city claimsThe city has disputed years of claims that it discards unhoused people's belongings. De Facto reporters tracked new tents and carts to see where they ended up.

podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/d...

podcasts.apple.comExpert UBC Medicine witness on testifying in DULF trial (E04: Oct 10, 2026)Podcast Episode · De Facto Radio · October 10 · 30m

Doctors for Safer Drug Policy reposted

Andrea Woo

@andreawoo.bsky.social

Statement from Connor Bildfell, president of the Canadian Bar Association's B.C. branch, on personal attacks on judges following last week's ruling re: the Drug User Liberation Front

And for Nanaimo folks, we've got you covered! We put a set of community-sourced questions to all the municipal candidates, covering a range of issues that are important to us: harm reduction, voluntary treatment for substance use disorders, and bylaw enforcement. #bcpoli #Nanaimo #harmreduction

ANDREA COUTU — |A| Supports a four pillar approach to the toxic drug crisis, including a “comprehensive continuum” of supports such as harm reduction and safer regulated supply, evidence-based treatment, and aftercare. @andreacoutu.bsky.social

Coutu: Our take: Commits to measurable targets, transparency, and changing course when the evidence says something isn't working.

HILARY EASTMURE — |A| Supports year round Hub services with wraparound supports and is “firmly in support of all harm reduction initiatives.” @hilaryeastmure.bsky.social

Eastmure: Our take: Commits to listening to experts and people with lived experience when developing policy, rather than relying on uninformed or stigmatizing perspectives. We love this hot take.

LEONARD KROG — |F| Did not respond to our survey, but his office did accidentally “reply all” on an internal response: “Is there any end to the number of interest groups with non-municipal issues who try to threaten candidates if they don’t answer their stupid questionnaires?” @nanaimo.ca

Krog: Our take: This “F” is a surprise to no one. Apparently shelter, community safety, and social supports aren't municipal issues? We don’t love that this is how Krog’s office responds to health care professionals asking for transparency.

PAUL MANLY — |B| Supports building a network of community hubs and wraparound services for people experiencing homelessness across Nanaimo, not just downtown. @paulmanley.bsky.social

Manly: Our take: Strong on meeting basic needs; we disagree with his view that police should play a central role in responding to this population.

RICHARD HARLOW — |A| Proposes clear, rational municipal responses to this crisis that center dignity, accessibility, and listening to experts and people with lived experience. @richardharlow.bsky.social

Harlow: Our take: We especially liked the proposal for civilian-led crisis response teams, which have been successful in other communities to reduce police involvement in non-policing matters.

MARNIE BOERS — |A| Brings frontline experience and supports Housing First, harm reduction, and stronger municipal partnerships.

Boers: Our take: Marnie has a clear, passionate understanding of the issues at hand. She displays a clear plan and realistic, actionable goals for her time in council. A slam dunk for us.

RYAN DJAKOVIC – |C| Places strong emphasis on therapeutic communities as a response to homelessness and the toxic drug crisis.

Djakovic: Our take: We see value in this treatment model and would be excited to see more of this come to Nanaimo, but a complex crisis needs more than one solution. Ryan doesn’t need a council seat to bring this single idea to fruition.

SARAH LOVEGROVE — |A| (Mayoral Candidate) Proposes a human-rights-based, evidence-informed approach focused on dignity, upstream solutions, and measurable outcomes.

Lovegrove: Our take: “If enforcement was an effective means to address these issues, we would be seeing positive change …” We agree, Sarah. It’s time for change!

JANICE PERRINO — |F| Uses stigmatizing language (refers to voters as “addicts” and “drug addicted”) and carries a heavy tone of pro-carceral approaches to homelessness and deaths from drug poisonings.

Perrino: Our take: Her support of forced displacement without safe alternatives raises serious human-rights concerns.

MEG FYFE WATKINS — |A| Supports upstream supports and a Housing First approach, while setting a measurable goal of reducing homelessness across Nanaimo.

Watkins: Our take: Displays a strong understanding that increased police budgets are not contributing to safer communities, decreased rates of public drug use or homelessness.

ROD MORENO — |B| Brings a social work perspective, emphasizes measurable outcomes, and appears open to learning from experts. Our take: We love data and expert-driven decision making. Rod also supports making affordable housing more accessible. @robmoreno.bsky.social

PAUL VAN RYSSEL — |C| Provides broad responses with few clear or actionable municipal commitments. Our take: It was challenging to determine how much he understands or cares about these issues based on his responses.

SHANE CRAWLEY — |C| Focuses on providing campsites for people experiencing homelessness. Our take: Recognizing the need for shelter is a start—but we need leaders who will at least dream as big as four walls and a roof for their voters.

PAUL CHAPMAN — |A| Supports harm reduction, supportive housing, and community-based approaches. He is a YIMBY and lives alongside these services himself. Our take: “Out of sight, out of mind is not sound policy.” We agree, Paul.

JACKIE BOLEN — |A| Supports a Housing First, non-enforcement approach to homelessness and the toxic drug crisis. Our take: Recognizes that the City can remove municipal barriers to life-saving harm reduction services.

STEVEN JOHNS — |F| Emphasizes CSOs, prohibition, and abstinence-based approaches to the toxic drug crisis. Our take: Steven is asking prohibition and abstinence to do a lot of heavy lifting when our governments have already been failing miserably with that approach for hundreds of years.