I guess one of my main arguments is that abstinence clauses and red zones, or no-go orders, are preventing marginalized people from getting the health services and the social services they need, including harm reduction services. Part of our research was conducted in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, where people need to have access to harm reduction services, including safe injection sites. The red zones are almost automatically applied in cases of drug offenders, including for possession but also trafficking, so they were prevented from getting access to these vital services in a time of crisis in Canada.
It's really important, when we think about imposing conditions, that we think about the consequences on marginalized people in getting the health and social services they need. It's also important in terms of thinking about drafting conditions related to alcohol and drugs. If we impose abstinence clauses on people who, because of their addiction, are unable to comply with those conditions and are forced to systematically violate those conditions and build up a very heavy criminal record, then we're obviously not helping those people get out of the social problems they're involved in.
I guess my main message to you, members of the committee, is that the criminalization of minor offenders and marginalized communities is probably the worst solution or the worst means to deal with social problems and, to get back to your question, for them to get access to harm reduction services.