As debate around the Liberals害羞草研究所� drug policy dominated parts of the spring House of Commons sitting, the Conservatives are offering little insight into what approach they would take when it comes to supervised consumption sites.

When asked earlier this month if a future Tory government would look to change the application process for opening such centres, the party害羞草研究所檚 addictions critic said she couldn害羞草研究所檛 speculate.

害羞草研究所淏ut I do think that this has been politicized into a space that is pitting one perspective versus another and that害羞草研究所檚 not helpful,害羞草研究所� Laila Goodridge said.

At supervised consumption sites, users can inject or inhale drugs under the watch of staff who can intervene in the case of an overdose. The centres also often offer drug testing, clean supplies to prevent the spread of disease and referrals to detox or treatment facilities.

Poilievre has been clear about his opposition to other harm reduction strategies that seek to mitigate the opioid overdose crisis.

Those include decriminalization efforts to help keep users out of jail and 害羞草研究所渟afer supply害羞草研究所� programs that provide pharmaceutical alternatives to toxic street drugs.

Instead, he wants to offer people 害羞草研究所渁 path to a drug-free life害羞草研究所� by emphasizing treatment and recovery. In a 2022 opinion piece, Poilievre also promised to create a national distribution program for nasal naloxone to help reverse overdoses.

But what about supervised consumption sites?

Asked for the party害羞草研究所檚 position, Goodridge pointed out that the Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled on the matter.

害羞草研究所淚 would recommend that you read that,害羞草研究所� she said.

In a landmark 2011 decision, the court unanimously ruled that closing the doors of Canada害羞草研究所檚 first supervised drug injection site would deprive users of their Charter rights.

The decision kept Insite in operation despite opposition from the then-Conservative government, and the health minister was required to grant an exemption to federal drug laws.

Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 office declined to say whether he supports supervised consumption sites or would include them as part of his approach to tackling the toxic drug crisis.

It also wouldn害羞草研究所檛 respond to a question about a reported statement by Poilievre at a town hall in northern Ontario in January. The Sault Star reported that he told the crowd he wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be prepared to fund supervised consumption sites.

And Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 office also didn害羞草研究所檛 answer whether he would review any current operations or change the requirements for operators.

害羞草研究所淚t sounds like they害羞草研究所檙e trying to have it both ways, which you can害羞草研究所檛 do,害羞草研究所� said University of British Columbia law professor Benjamin Perrin, once an adviser to Harper.

害羞草研究所淵ou either support them or you don害羞草研究所檛.害羞草研究所�

Four years after the Supreme Court decision that prevented it from shutting down Insite, the Harper government passed the Respect for Communities Act.

It required prospective supervised consumption sites to meet a suite of criteria in order to operate, such as tracking crime rates and consulting with local residents and police.

After they were elected, the Liberals passed their own law allowing facilities to open with more ease. There are now 39 supervised consumption sites, according to Health Canada, and another 10 open applications.

Goodridge, an MP from Alberta, noted there are facilities in her home province.

害羞草研究所淲e have continued to have supervised consumption sites, recognizing that they are part of the continuum of care in a recovery-oriented system,害羞草研究所� she said.

But they 害羞草研究所渉ave to be done in a way that takes into account all factors.害羞草研究所�

Alberta害羞草研究所檚 United Conservative Party government says it害羞草研究所檚 shifting focus away from what it calls 害羞草研究所渁cute interventions害羞草研究所� in favour of putting more resources toward long-term recovery from addictions 害羞草研究所� an approach Poilievre applauds.

In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford has pulled funding from some supervised consumption sites and in 2018 said he was 害羞草研究所渄ead against害羞草研究所� them.

Critics say both provinces are mounting an attack on harm reduction, as an increasingly toxic drug supply drives a staggering death toll. More than 40,000 people have died since federal tracking began in 2016.

Poilievre has noted his opposition to a few specific supervised consumption sites.

Several weeks ago, he asked the federal health minister to refuse an exemption requested by a site in Montreal, citing residents害羞草研究所� concerns about its proximity to a school and daycare.

Goodridge said that, 害羞草研究所渁s a mom,害羞草研究所� she doesn害羞草研究所檛 think the centre害羞草研究所檚 location is mindful of 害羞草研究所渨hat is best for community and community well-being.害羞草研究所�

Earlier this year, Poilievre also asked supporters to oppose the proposed opening of a 害羞草研究所渘ew drug site害羞草研究所� in Richmond, B.C. He accused the Liberals and New Democrats of 害羞草研究所減ushing drugs on the Chinese community,害羞草研究所� as some members of that community protested the location of the centre.

When it comes to the question of whether any supervised consumption sites should be operating, other Tory MPs have sent mixed messages, critics point out.

Alberta MP Glen Motz told the House of Commons in April that 害羞草研究所渢here is no such thing as a safe consumption site,害羞草研究所� while B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Todd Doherty more recently suggesting in a committee that his party hadn害羞草研究所檛 settled on a position.

害羞草研究所淣ot one person is talking from the Conservatives, whether it害羞草研究所檚 our leader or ourselves, not one of us has said anything about safe consumption sites in any policy, any conversation,害羞草研究所� Doherty said, adding he believes 害羞草研究所渢here are many tools in the tool box.害羞草研究所�

The New Democrats害羞草研究所� critic for addictions, Gord Johns, said, 害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 get an answer out of the Conservatives.害羞草研究所�

He added: 害羞草研究所淕ood luck.害羞草研究所�

Perrin said one way for a future government to get around the Supreme Court害羞草研究所檚 ruling would be to use the notwithstanding clause.

That allows a government to pass laws that override parts of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for up to five years.

Poilievre has said he would be prepared to use the clause in order to keep convicted killers ineligible for parole for a longer period of time. His office has clarified that any use of that tool would be restricted to criminal justice matters.

害羞草研究所淭his is a criminal justice issue,害羞草研究所� Perrin said of supervised drug sites.

Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 office declined to answer whether they agreed.

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Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press