Supreme Court decision could mean new life for local program
Posted Oct 1, 2011 9:03 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Supreme Court of Canada decision, stopping the Harper government from shutting down Vancouver’s safe injection site for IV drug users, may mean new life for a prevention program here in Calgary.
Spooked by a possible legal challenge, Alberta Health Services shut down a program operated by Safeworks in which it distributed free, clean crack pipes to street users to reduce the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C.
On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Harper government’s action violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
An AHS spokesperson tells the Calgary Herald, the decision will be studied to see what the ramifications are for the suspended Safeworks’ program.
