Meth Detox Proposal For 800 Adele Gets Support From All Opposition Parties At Town Hall

St. Boniface Street Links election town hall on addictions and crime policy saw widespread agreement on most issues, with slight variations on how to effect solutions, but unanimous interest in a proposal by the host organization to repurpose an existing facility to meet the public health crisis of meth addiction.

The evening began with an introduction of 7 recovering addicts from the Morberg House residential treatment program, who briefly described the lives they had, which their drug addiction has destroyed. 

A former microbiologist; a Coumputer Science major; a 4 year degree program stopped one year short; another with a completed Master's Degree with a PhD; two others wishing to continue their education, and lastly a young grandfather and artist "glad to be off the meth and be a part of my family again." Putting that context to the concept of a "typical" meth addict brought home to the audience and panelists that this is not so much a drug of the pre-existing down-and-out drug-using segment of society, but rather that crystal meth delivers totally normal people to the depths of hell at breakneck speed.

Liberal leader Dougald Lamont, MLA for St. Boniface, attended the panel held in his riding as did his NDP opponent, Laurissa Sims, and Green Party leader James Beddome seeking election in Fort Rouge represented his party. 

Absent from the Notre Dame Recreational Centre was any speaker for the governing Progressive Conservative Party, which did not send a reply to the invitation. Marion Willis, Director of Morberg House, opened the public Q and A segment with a proposal, after the moderated presentation and discussion by representatives of the three opposition parties. 

Willis described her tour of a mothballed licenced care centre at 800 Adele Ave. in Winnipeg's west end. She was asked to see the building after our widely-watched profiles of the success of Morberg House, an addictions recovery program on Provencher Blvd. in St. Boniface affiliated with Street Links. 

The former nun's residence was leased for use by child welfare agencies for 11 years until the Pallister administration sought to terminate the 20 year contract and ordered a midnight move this winter - but tax dollars are still paying rent on the empty building until next April (video length 2.27).

Willis described the existing 10 stabilization beds with triage on 2 floors and an attached administration building that could become "a centre of excellence to address the meth crisis".

She compared it unfavourably with election promises by Premier Brian Pallister and NDP leader Wab Kinew to spend tax dollars to build new drug detox units.

"It's a Class A turn-key building with 10 beds, the security, it's all there, it's locked in, turn on the lights, put some staff in there, put the Main Street Project, put AFM in there..." 

Willis beseeched the candidates to look beyond the legal dispute the government has provoked with the building's owners. "What this city needs most has been sitting since February empty, locked up, within walking distance of Health Sciences Centre." 

She challenged the panelists what they would do if elected to government, about 800 Adele. Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont replied "If it's suitable, that should be the place it goes." (2.29)

The NDP was in a peculiar position on the issue as it has already committed to an ambitious program of services to be located on Main Street and Logan operated by Main Street Project. But Sims said she was confident that her leader Wab Kinew would be interested in having a conversation about the viability of the Willis proposal as part of their addiction services. (1.20)

Beddome, hoping to unseat Kinew in Fort Rouge, gave a short concise answer stating "we're in a crisis so why aren't we doing something?" (.40)

Lamont, Sims, and Beddome had more to say to the audience about:
 - 800 Adele and the contract dispute between the Pallister government and the owners
-  the WRHA failing to get used needles they distribute off the streets, and 
- their collective support for a safe injection site which got a surprising (to them) rebuke 
- more to come in a follow-up column soon!
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Standing in for the PC Party last night: the very popular rubber chicken.

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No other media hung around long enough yesterday night to get the only REAL news to emerge. 

The ONLY variations from the announced platforms came from the questions about 800 Adele and the failed "harm reduction" needle exchange program - stories exclusively reported on by TGCTS. 

Last night proved that in seeking your vote, politicians can be forced to go off script and address YOUR issues. 
That's what citizen journalism does.

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Bonus Video: Meth Program And Homeless Outreach Makes St. Boniface Safer This Summer

In the last 3 years as meth addiction ramped up, the peaceful quiet of St. Boniface became noticeably disrupted. 

The Norwood Grove Biz warned City Hall "As the downtown core took steps, we saw an influx of bridge community. Business owners didn't know what to do and hadn't seen it before." 

Issues surrounding homelessness, panhandling and street-involvement become a growing concern to the community "which saw endless customer harassment, vehicle break-ins, vandalism and more." 

The wake-up call was when the washroom at Tim Hortons was set ablaze and shortly after, the staff walked out due to threats. This past winter, the ScotiaBank had to lock its ATM Lobby overnight due to incidents.

https://www.manitobapost.com/winnipeg-news/safety-keeps-slippin-away-on-wrong-side-of-st-boniface-117020

This summer, the area is noticeably - visibly- calmer.  

Marion Willis of Morberg House confirmed that's the case.

A StreetLinks bike patrol and a robust outreach program are helping guide addicts and the homeless towards support and recovery services and out of trouble. With a reduced homeless population she identifies panhandling and meth camps as the current challenges. 

In this bonus video segment she describes the work they are doing to make Winnipeg safer and lauds the Winnipeg Police and Mayor Brian Bowman for supporting their role in crime prevention through social development.

Part 1 of our interview with Marion Willis: 

https://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/despite-67-success-rate-with-meth.html

Part 2: https://tgcts.blogspot.com/2019/06/more-with-marion-willis-and-morberg.html

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More With Marion Willis and Morberg House, Treating Meth Addiction

Marion Willis took a few minutes while hosting a get-to-know-ya lunchtime barbeque with the neighbours at No Frills on Goulet Ave. to tell us about Morberg House and St. Boniface StreetLinks. All the funding for the residential program at Morberg House is privately funded.

In the first part of our interview she told of the 67% success rate of their program for meth addicted men, but that the Pallister government doesn't seem to want to learn more about the program's basis of high-support congregant living. The other side of the service is the multi-disciplinary team at StreetLinks which deals with not only the physical issues, but the mental health of the street-involved people they help.

To close the interview, Marion gives the contact information for their website or phone 204-294-7637. She invited everyone to come directly to see their work. 

"We love visitors, we like people coming to 311 Provencher Blvd, to see Morberg House, it's staffed 24 -7. Come and learn about the meth epidemic from people trying to recover, come and see a model that working extremely well, learn about our a  2 year continuum of service that's seamless." 

She concluded, "You want to meet the guys who live there. You want to learn from them how to address the meth crisis in this city, Too bad they weren't the Task Force." 

(Marion also showed the camera a before and after picture of one young man in recovery, and the improvement in 4 months is remarkable as you'll see.)

After Canada Day, there will be a bonus segment with Marion Willis posted about safety and crime in St. Boniface.
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                                    HAPPY CANADA DAY

HERE'S HOW WE USED TO CELEBRATE IN OSBORNE VILLAGE AT THE 'TURN OF THE CENTURY'

THE STAFF AT THE ZOO WOULD ASK US TO PLEASE NOT WRECK THE FURNITURE. oh well...

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