Alberta’s Mental Health and Addiction Minister Dan Williams has slammed “radical activists” and “progressive media” for their failed approach to tackling drug addiction in the province.
Williams said that the approach taken by far-left ideologues who advocate for safe supply and other progressive initiatives only leads to “misery, carnage and death.”
“I couldn’t care less what the progressive media and the radical activists say,” said Williams.
“There aren’t other options. The only thing left for us is to intervene as a society and say we still care for you.”
According to Williams, pursuing the same policies endorsed by the left, which he argues has led to increases in opioid overdoses, is the wrong choice.
“The left’s best thinking has gotten us to this point. The idea we need more of the left’s thinking to solve the problem is insanity,” said Williams.
“For two decades, the progressive left has held a monopoly on policies around addiction. Their logic is we haven’t done enough of it.”
These policies have failed spectacularly, says Williams.
“It’s obvious the radical progressive Left has failed Alberta, Canada, North America and the West in its thinking on addiction. It would destroy us as a province to go down that path further. The only solution is another road,” he explained.
“There are some things so crazy you have to be an elected liberal or socialist to believe them.”
According to Williams, Premier Danielle Smith has the mandate from Albertans to take a different approach which includes intervention.
“The solace I take is we won an election and we told Albertans exactly what we wanted to do,” said Williams.
Williams announced that Alberta is constructing 11 recovery facilities across the Province including on First Nations.
“Investing in recovery is not a choice that we make, but it is our moral obligation to allow for better futures for those suffering today,” said Williams in June.
The Smith government has also pledged to pass legislation to force addicts who are a danger to themselves or others into treatment.
The Compassionate Intervention Act would be the first involuntary treatment law in Canada to specifically target addiction.
Smith said the Act would allow a family member, doctor, psychologist, or police officer to make a petition to a specially appointed non-criminal judge to issue a treatment order.
