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Maple Ridge wants Narcan kits in B.C. schools

And require stickers to decompose, on list of UBCM discussion
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Maple Ridge is bringing its two-bits worth to downtown Vancouver at the gathering of the Union of B.C. Municipalities this week.

Composting is one of its concerns, in particular the plastic sticker labels that go on to every banana, orange and apple that people eat.

Coun. Craig Speirs wants senior governments to require those labels to be compostable, using vegetable-based inks and food-safe stamps, so they don’t contaminate the final compost product.

However, the UBCM resolutions committee hasn’t endorsed that proposal and says that idea hasn’t come up before.

The city is also asking that fellow mayors and councillors tighten up regulations against those who harass people who have guide dogs. It says in its resolution that people with guide or service dogs are repeatedly asked for ID, subjected to government red tape and denied access to public space.

Maple Ridge also wants to require companies to provide all types of insurance to those with mental health issues, just as insurance is provided those with physical ailments.

The Canadian Psychiatric Association takes a similar position.

The city also wants to create every chance possible to prevent a drug overdose, and wants the province to train staff in B.C. middle and secondary schools on the administration of naloxone, used to revive people who are overdosing on opioids, usually fentanyl.

UBCM recommends that be passed off to the B.C. School Trustees Association.

The UBCM convention goes Sept. 25 to 29 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.