06 January 2008

McGuinty government ponies up...

...three hundred thousand dollars for crack pipes...
Crack addicts in Ottawa will continue receiving clean, free crack pipes next year. The Ontario government agreed to fund the program even though the city doesn't support it anymore.

David Jensen, a spokesman for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, confirmed Friday that the province will provide the $287,000 requested by the Somerset West Community Health Centre to run the crack pipe program for the next 12 months.
This might be old news to people up in Ottawa, but I only just saw it tonight on the CTV Ottawa affiliate.

CJOH was interviewing an Ottawa city councillor who was saying that the provincial Liberals ponied up all this money for drug paraphernalia... without providing any additional monies for actual drug rehab.

So, to recap... three hundred thousand taxpayer dollars to facilitate drug use... and nothing to stop it.

Way to go, Dalton.

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RELATED: Oh yeah, did I mention...

The Mayor and the Ottawa city council... voted this bad boy off the island.
It is "unfortunate" that the province has stepped in to save a program that provides clean crack pipes to Ottawa drug addicts despite Ottawa city council's decision in July not to continue funding it, Mayor Larry O'Brien said through his spokesman.
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FROM THE COMMENTS:
Penalty for smoking a cigarette at a bus stop in Ottawa: $5,000.

A recent fine for selling crack on Rideau Street in Ottawa: $200.
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