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Outside of Lethbridge's Supervised Consumption Site

Motion to ask province to halt funding for SCS to be presented at next City Council meeting

Aug 13, 2019 | 2:44 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A notice of motion asking the Provincial Government to temporarily suspend funding to Lethbridge’s Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) pending a review, is expected to be introduced at Monday’s council meeting (Aug. 19).

The motion, which will be brought forward by Councillor Blaine Hyggen, and seconded by Councillor Joe Mauro, also calls for needle distribution outside of the SCS to cease. Hyggen says it may be edited somewhat prior to its introduction in council chambers, but the message behind it will remain the same.

Lethbridge City Councillor Blaine Hyggen in 2017 prior to the civic election (Lethbridge News NOW )

Hyggen, who has been contacted by news organizations around the world over the last week, tells Lethbridge News NOW that many people he’s heard from in the city are concerned about crime around the SCS and Galt Gardens area, crime creeping into their neighborhoods where it wasn’t a serious concern in previous years, and residents’ overall safety. He says while he is pro-harm reduction, those citizen’s voices aren’t being heard.

“We’re catering to a very few, but very loud voices – the few – but the rest of the community that are strongly against this, to me, are frustrated and they’re tired of asking because it’s falling on deaf ears. And I just don’t believe what we’re doing is correct. There comes a time when we have to have common sense.”

A letter posted to Facebook written by ARCHES Director of Operations, Jill Manning calls on City Council to consider how the motion could affect the 174 employees who work at the SCS and at the 6 Ave. S. location and their families.

Open letter from the SCS’s Jill Manning (Part 1)

“Those are 174 people whose livelihood and families are deeply affected by these conversations. Those are 174 of your own tax-paying, voting constituents who are contributing citizens of this community and have in many cases moved to, or remained in Lethbridge specifically for the purpose of working in a field they are passionate about, at a world- renowned healthcare facility that allows them to give back via the completion of meaningful (although sometimes very difficult) work.”

Open letter from Jill Manning (Part 2)

The letter goes on to indicate, “I understand the concerns of our surrounding businesses. An exhaustive amount of energy and discussion has been devoted to the effects that the SCS has had on their bottom line, the futures of their businesses and the emotional and financial well-being of their staff.”

Hyggen says he’s read the letter and wonders about the business owners and their families who have let staff go in the area around the SCS.

“What about the 50+ years that these people have built businesses that have had to let staff go because of safety concerns or just a lack of business. What about the children who have been pricked by needles?”

He also feels that even prior to the SCS opening there was a lack of transparency surrounding the circumstances under which the building the facility occupies was re-zoned and approved for construction.

“There was no communication at a city level on this. The province – the previous government put this in there and told us more or less ‘deal with it.’ And as far as us having any communication with our constituents and with those citizens of Lethbridge, that did not happen. That is something that the Federal Government mandated to do. You’re supposed to have this communication with your citizens in that community, and that was not done.”

Manning, in her letter writes, “typically, supporters of ARCHES will speak of the decades of evidence-based research and data that clearly and unequivocally support harm reduction strategies like needle distribution and supervised consumption services as best practice. Alternatively, supporters may approach the issue from a humanitarian lens, whereby value is assigned to ALL human life and wherein the protection of rights for our most vulnerable peoples are rightfully espoused….I am not going to focus on any of the above; to do so has frankly become irritatingly redundant and repetitive at this point.”

Lethbridge News NOW has contacted Manning directly; however, she is out of the office until Aug. 19. Hyggen says he too has reached out to her but has not received a response. He adds that while he’s had support for his motion, he has also been on the receiving end of vitriolic hatred.

“There are those that are extremely nasty on the other side…I’m open to discussion. What I’m frustrated with is people that start to get personal with me; ‘Blaine, you’re a racist, you’re a bigot…’ Discussion and collaboration is everything. But when you call or you block your call and threaten me, I’ve got concerns about that. Let’s work together on a solution.”

He says when the SCS was still under construction, he toured it along with his fellow councillors. He’d like to visit the facility again if possible.

“I’m always open to that happening. I’d like to have a conversation.”