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For the first time since 2018, BC recorded over 100 overdose deaths in back-to-back months (March and April). With overdose death rates the highest in Canada, 3 people die each day in BC. 1/ @DarcyJudy @adriandix @mikefarnworthbc @VanIslandHealth #bcpoli #overdosedeaths @bcyadws
South Vancouver Island ranks 3rd in health service delivery areas for fentanyl-detected deaths. To mark our grief, loss, love and rage, we went to the Legislature to count out naloxone kits on the steps, representing the vast number of people lost in April alone. @OutreachSolid
At the entrance to the building, we were met by the familiar sight of fences similar to the ones recently used to facilitate moving approximately 1/5 of Victoria’s homeless pop. indoors through a govt process that has been marred by paternalism, colonization, criminalization. 3/
We were also met by guards, carrying naloxone themselves, who after hearing about our intention to take a brief moment to capture a powerful image, asked us to leave before we could finish, b/c our message was apparently too political & we did not have a permit. @CAPUDofficial
Perhaps the image we captured speaks louder with this denial of expressing our grief in a public space. As we compare the public health response to COVID19 with that of the overdose crisis now it it’s 4th year, we know for sure that with overdose, we’re not ‘all in this together’
Stigma, shame & structural barriers caused by criminalization are killing our loved ones. We envision a world in which people are not criminalized because of their drug use, where all individuals have a right to exist in public space, and enagage in community. @GovCanHealth
We envision a world where in free and equitable participation we can all live in dignified housing, and be free of poverty.
