It is important to have harm reduction services for the simple reason that these projects have been in operation for many years. We are talking here about safe injection sites, but we could also be talking about prevention for infectious diseases such as hepatitis C.
When drug users in a community are in contact with workers in the community services sector or the health care sector, we can do prevention work that will have long-term positive effects. What is more, it improves coexistence since the people are no longer hiding in an alley or a park to consume their substances. Instead they are going to safe, clean sites that are free from stigma, both day and night. That is why we want to increase these services.
We also need to have good communication. I talked about that earlier. Community organizations need to have enough funding not only to keep the services going, but also to have workers who are in communication with the people in the community. I am thinking here about the street workers, the community workers, or even people working with the schools. We need other intermediaries to ensure healthy coexistence in a community.
We must not create tension within the community with respect to harm reduction projects, whose purpose, I repeat, is to save lives and maintain a quality of life during periods of consumption.
Let's not mix up these two concepts, even though they go hand in hand. We have to establish good communication with the community, but especially provide services that save lives. So—