Ms Fiona Wilson:

I think of two things. Certainly the public use legislation was something we were very supportive of. It was a compassionate solution to the challenges around public consumption because it did not criminalise the use of illicit drugs but criminalised the refusal to leave once you were asked to do so by a police officer. If we came across somebody who was using in problematic circumstances - the beach example - the legislation would require us, as police, to approach that person and ask them to leave. They would leave with their drugs and without a ticket or any kind of documentation. They would just leave. If they refused to leave, that refusal would become a criminal justice matter through our obstruction legislation. I felt that was a compassionate solution to the matter of public consumption.

In addition to public consumption, the other thing we did not see here in British Columbia, but which I think is important, is a dramatic increase in resources for people with substance use disorders. We wanted an increase in everything along that continuum from education to prevention and harm reduction for people who are entrenched in drug use to keep them alive and safe while they are using. We wanted no barriers to treatment on demand that was accessible and available the minute somebody wanted help.