I saw a recent comment on Facebook by our local city councillor, Brian Skakun, where he called the Northern Health AIDS Prevention Program (also known locally as the Needle Exchange) an "absolute disgrace," in reference to their syringe exchange program and the role he believes it plays in syringes found in the community.
For those who don't know, Northern Health's Medical Health Officer Dr. Andrew Gray spoke to the media back in July regarding this same needle exchange, and he confirmed that over 90 per cent of needles given out by Northern Health in Prince George are returned to the needle exchange.
Skakun's commentary on social media is disheartening to me, as I see an elected official who is fueling the flames of ignorance and intolerance in our community. It is especially worrisome given that our marginalized and vulnerable populations are the ones most affected by the negative discourse. Scientific evidence has repeatedly and irrefutably proven that syringe exchange programs (needle exchanges) are an extremely effective and sustainable way of reducing disease and injury associated with substance use.
Syringe exchange programs have been consistently proven in countless studies to reduce the amount of improperly discarded drug paraphernalia in communities and public spaces, suggesting that Skakun's claims of "tens of thousands of needles" in alleys in our community is likely exaggerated.
Furthermore, while Skakun has openly and harshly criticized Northern Health's harm reduction programs, his only publicly proffered solution has been to implement a "one for one" syringe exchange policy. This is a restrictive and antiquated approach that has been proven to increase disease and risky behaviors in individuals who use substances. To implement such a policy would do nothing but harm to those intended to be helped by these programs. As Bram Fischer, South African anti-apartheid lawyer, said, "The glaring injustice is there for all who aren't blinded by prejudice to see."
With thoughts of the looming local election not far from my mind, I would like to think that as representatives of our entire community, elected officials such as Brian Skakun would check their opinions for accuracy and bias before sharing them with the masses of social media. As a public body, we look to our officials to speak authoritatively on community issues, and as a member of this community, it is frightening to see such ill-informed diatribe being so enthusiastically engaged in by my community, led by someone who should speak for all members of his community, not just the ones who share his opinions.
At the end of the day, I know that I can't open every mind to an alternate perspective, but I have the truth on my side, because "the good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe it" (Neil deGrasse Tyson).
If you feel like you need more information on the science part of my argument before you decide your vote in the coming election, I have a degree's worth of academic research and literature reviews saved in a box in my closet (with no opinions in sight) that I'd be happy to share.
Jordan Harris
Prince George
