Lək̓ʔəŋən [LEKWUNGEN] TERRITORY / VICTORIA, B.C. — Leader of the BC Greens and candidate for Saanich North and the Islands, joined former chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, to announce Lapointe’s candidacy for Saanich South and the BC Greens’ Toxic Drugs platform today.
“5 people die every day from the toxic drug crisis in British Columbia, making it the leading cause of death in the province,” said Lowan. “This is a crisis that has affected everyone in British Columbia; from families dealing with death, and grief, to frontline workers who spend every day dealing with trauma and harm inside a system that doesn’t support them, to communities who are left to carry the weight of a crisis that is politicised and never solved.”
“As B.C.’s chief coroner for 13 years,” said Lapointe, “I recognize that the toxic drug crisis will only be solved when politicians are willing to show leadership; when regulated alternatives are available, when voluntary treatment is available when people need it, and when people who use drugs have the same access to resources, medical care, housing, dignity and respect as anyone else.”
“Lisa knows what works, the BC Greens know what works: that’s why we’ll put an end to the failures that have driven the toxic drugs crisis,” said Lowan.
Lisa Lapointe was B.C.’s chief coroner for 13 years, and has spent 30 years building strong relationships to support healthy and safe communities as a public servant. She is the former chair of the Canadian Forum of Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Forensic Science and Technology Program Advisory Committee. Lisa has previously served on the Central Saanich Advisory Planning Committee, and as a hospice volunteer at Saanich Peninsula Hospital. She is a board member of PHS Community Services Society, a non-profit agency that provides housing, healthcare, harm reduction and health promotion for some of the most vulnerable and under-served people in Victoria and Vancouver. “I see many people in our neighbourhoods facing challenges accessing housing, basic health care, necessary surgeries, and mental health supports,” said Lapointe. “Our governments neglect these basic services, only to spend far more to deal with the consequences further down the road. I want to do what I can to ensure my grandchildren grow up in a province that recognizes people as our most critical asset and prioritizes their health and well-being.”
Click here to read our full Toxic Drugs Policy Brief.
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