Saying there is already a bylaw on the books, and not enough information about open drug use in Maple Ridge, city council did not approve a prohibition parks and other areas people gather.
They defeated the motion by a vote of 6-1 at Tuesday’s council meeting, with the only support coming from Coun. Ahmed Yousef who brought the motion.
His motion read: “Whereas the City of Maple Ridge recognizes the negative impact of open drug use in municipal parks and public spaces and the effects on the safety of our community, specifically families, youth and children, therefore be it resolved that the City of Maple Ridge enact a prohibition of illicit drug use in all city parks and outdoor public gathering spaces.”
Yousef said he did not intend it to punish drug users.
READ ALSO: Maple Ridge city councillor wants to restrict open drug use
“This is not an ideological debate of any kind, my motion is not prescriptive or looking for punitive measures to be carried out against individuals, moreso to regulate behaviour, for the safety of our citizenry at large.”
Yousef spoke about the need to protect children in particular, and even pets, from drug paraphernalia, and from witnessing drug use. He said if current city bylaws do address the issue, they must be better enforced.
He maintains that since the government decriminalized the possession of 2.5 grams of hard drugs in B.C., the problem of open drug use has been exacerbated.
READ ALSO: Possession of 2.5 grams of illicit drugs to be decriminalized in B.C.
He also said the issue of safe a consumption sites should be dealt with as a separate issue, after it was raised by local advocate Chris Bossley in connection with his motion.
READ ALSO: Call for safe consumption site in Maple Ridge
“Anyone who knows me knows that I am proactive, and I don’t shy away from controversy, ” said Yousef.
His colleagues noted that there is already a bylaw in place, and called his motion redundant.
Yousef said his motion was backed up by two letters to council, from chamber of commerce and the Downtown Maple Ridge Businesses Improvement Association, both expressing concern about open drug use.
“We have a bylaw in place, we also have a significant amount of concern from businesses and individuals,” said Yousef.
Coun. Korleen Carreras said the motion is “challenging in the way that it’s written,” and called for more information.
“We’ve had no data in front of us to actually support any of the things that we just heard,” she said. “I, too, have lost friends and family members to the opioid crisis, it is a public health crisis, and I attended the funeral of one of my 30-year-old students.”
She said council needs a thoughtful and compassionate conversation.
“But this motion is not that conversation.”
Carreras added said she is proud of way council has come together in past six months, after an election that could have been divisive.
“Good governance doesn’t happen in isolation, it requires all of us to work together,” she said, and urged councillors to consult with colleagues and staff before bringing a motion forward.
Mayor Dan Ruimy agreed with her.
“There is nobody in this room that wants kids to see people shooting up,” he said.
“In anything we do, are we helping the problem, or are we compounding it?” Ruimy asked. “They’ve got nowhere else to do. Like it or not, that is a fact. They’re not going to jail. That’s not the way the system works.”
He noted the government’s decriminalization only started in January, and information now is strictly anecdotal. He asked city staff and community safety officers to provide council with an update about the scope of the problem.
Coun. Jenny Tan said she wants a more thoughtful solution, and not a “superficial” or “Band-Aid solution.” She added the chief coroner of BC warned against fear mongering, or enacting laws against poor people.
“We need to save people’s lives with the very, very, very few resources that we have,” said Tan.
Yousef said afterward he was disappointed by the debate.
“It was quite evident they had made their minds up before ever coming to council chambers,” said Yousef. “I respect the decision of council, and I enjoyed the conversation last night. I look forward to continuing that conversation.”
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