New B.C. addictions minister's mandate can't solve toxic drug crisis: advocates

B.C.'s newly-appointed mental health and addictions minister says she's "determined" to evolve the province's response to the worsening toxic drug crisis.

Jennifer Whiteside, the former education minister, was appointed to her new role Thursday as part of a broader cabinet reshuffle by Premier David Eby.

She replaces Sheila Malcolmson as the face of the province's response to the drug poisoning emergency that has claimed the lives of more than 10,600 British Columbians since April 2016.

However, drug user advocates say the mandate letter for B.C.'s new addictions minister does not signal any urgent policy changes to stop the mass deaths from toxic drugs.

"Premier Eby has asked me to prioritize accelerating B.C.'s response to the illicit drug toxicity crisis," said Whiteside in a statement on Friday. 

"The premier has also asked me to expand new complex care, treatment, recovery, detox and after-care facilities across the province."

She added that she would endeavour to expand the province's prescribed safe supply program, and push to "separate" people from the toxic drug supply.

"We know that separating people from the toxic supply is a vital first step in making life-saving connections to care," she continued.

Whiteside is the MLA for the New Westminster riding, and was first elected in the 2020 provincial election. Previously, she was the chief spokesperson for the Hospital Employees' Union.

Mandate letter raises alarms

Garth Mullins, an organizer with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) and host of the Crackdown podcast, said the mandate letter does not indicate that the province is approaching the crisis with any urgency.

"I think it's considered a junior portfolio. And it's junior because it doesn't have very much authority and it doesn't have very much money," he told CBC News. "It just sits there like a lightning rod.

"It seems to me that the job is actually to be the official mourner … it's just someone who is there to cry publicly about the mass deaths, but isn't empowered."

Advocates were critical of Whiteside's predecessor, Malcolmson, for leading a response centred around an expansion of addictions treatment.

In Whiteside's mandate letter, the premier also mentions expanding the scope of mandatory treatment.

"Assess and expand supports for people who are causing detrimental harm to themselves and others as a result of mental health or substance use," reads one of Eby's directives.

Mullins said the directive was "vaguer" than other sections of Whiteside's mandate, but that drug users were preparing for an expansion of B.C.'s involuntary care system since Eby's public safety announcements.

"Unless and until mental health services are covered under Canada's Health Act … what business [does] the minister or the premier have in forcing us into involuntary services?" he asked.

No commitment to regulate addictions treatment

Mullins said the government's focus on addiction treatment was good electorally, but did not impact the trajectory of the poisoned drug supply — only widely available safe supply would do that.

"If you find out what actually goes on in these [treatment] beds … it's not really regulated," he said. 

"The drug supply being as lethal as it is now … people don't have all that time to recover. If they want to focus on that stuff, they got to make sure people are alive to benefit from it."

Karen Ward, a Downtown Eastside resident and former drug policy adviser for the City of Vancouver, said she was disappointed to see Whiteside's mandate letter not commit to regulating the addictions treatment industry.

The letter only mentions "strengthening governance, guidelines, and best practices" in the system, despite the recommendations of both a legislative standing committee and a coroners' death review panel.

"They're saying this is the solution, but we're not even going [to] set basic requirements or monitor any of it at all," Ward said.

Mullins said it was good to see a reference in the mandate letter to the upcoming decriminalization of possessing small amounts of drugs.

He said he hopes Whiteside, with her union background, understands how the toxic drug crisis is a working-class crisis, affecting people in the trades and resources sectors.

"If Minister Whiteside has the gas, really wants to do this … we'd love to meet with her," he said.

"Our late colleague Tracey Morrison … she used to say to politicians: 'I can be a thorn in your side or a flower in your lapel. It's your choice.'"