Feds to appeal Insite ruling

On Tuesday, Mr. Justice Ian Pitfield granted users and staff at the popular but controversial facility known as Insite a permanent constitutional exemption from prosecution under federal drug laws.

The Tories have made no secret of their disdain for the decision, and moved Thursday to appeal it.

“There exists today a significant degree of uncertainty in the research — and so, based on this, I believe that priority must be focused on treatment and prevention,” Mr. Clement told the House of Commons Health Committee Thursday.

Mr. Clement's announcement was applauded by a number of people in the committee room who had been organized to appear in support of the government's position.

His appearance followed that of a panel of witnesses who cited scientific evidence and their own experience as health experts and researchers in Vancouver's downtown east side as proof that the safe injection site is needed.

Committee Chair Joy Smith told MPs that one of the witnesses, Dr. Donald Hedges of Vancouver, who opposes the site, would not appear because he had been threatened and harassed.

But opposition MPs, who lined up against the minister in his disagreement with the site, were unmoved.

They labelled a lengthy speech by Mr. Clement to be little more than propaganda and they accused him of being against harm reduction – one of the four pillars of Vancouver's harm reduction strategy.

Mr. Clement, however, remains unconvinced by scientific studies and expert testimony.

Insite saves just one life a year, he said.