Going through the news for the week I came across this story about an appeal against the safe-injection site in Vancouver. I was aware it existed, and I was aware it was a provincial rather than federal decision. What I didn't know is that having one dissenting opinion was grounds enough for the feds to open a can of worms better left shut. Of course, the feds have really taken on a holier-than-thou view of themselves (prorougation, anyone?), but the stupidity in this one really takes the cake, in my humble opinion.

Being on the outside looking at the site, I suppose there can be one of two solid ways to see this:

1) It is unfair to the public for the government to give junkies a place which specifically enables them to do illegal drugs. Or:

2) At least they're being protected from HIV under the supervision of medical professionals.

There's obviously going to be objections to a government-sanctioned site for intravenous drug-users, but if there has ever been such a thing as a necessary evil, how can it be said that this is not it?

It seems sometimes that the fear of HIV has become almost too small. It's as if people have placed themselves in a 'not-at-risk' category, and thus in an 'I-don't-really-care' category. Looking at the HIV/AIDs situation in countries such as Africa is, of course, important; but why is it that the home-grown problem gets swept under the rug in the meantime?

There are provinces in Canada that don't even have their own HIV/AIDs doctor(s) (Newfoundland, being key), and the feds are looking at the other side of the country hoping to shut down an institution which attempts to prevent people from catching the virus?

It's simple enough to say 'But they're heroin addicts!' or something akin, but that makes no one less of a person. Why deny people simple safety from such a terrible disease?