While hundreds of tourists cheerfully visited the capital city over the weekend, strolling up and down the Legislature乌鸦传媒檚 lawn, a small group gathered to mark a more sombre occasion.
Gathered in the southeast corner on the morning of Aug. 17, ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), advocates and family members remembered those who have passed and called for stronger action to address the ongoing crisis.
Celebrated annually on Aug. 31, the campaign was initiated in Australia in 2001 and has since spread globally, with more than 1,000 events advocating to end preventable overdoses.
Hosted by Moms Stop the Harm, the Victoria event featured speakers Bernadette Pauly, a University of Victoria professor and scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, and social worker and musician Ben Goerner.
For Jan Mahoney, who organized the event, the gathering was an opportunity to push for change.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e asking (the government to) not backpedal on the advances that have been made with the regulated non-toxic supply and safe injection sites,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 would like to see a commitment from our provincial government that they're going to continue to fund and expand safe injection sites.乌鸦传媒�
With funding for harm reduction strategies declining in recent years, Mahoney argued that efforts are still necessary.
乌鸦传媒淧eople dying of overdoses is preventable,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t doesn't need to happen and the only way we're going to prevent people dying is to say that the war on drugs doesn't work. We need to have a regulated supply of any substance that people need to use.乌鸦传媒�
Hitting particularly close to home, IOAD holds a place of symbolic importance for Mahoney.
乌鸦传媒淢y son passed away in 2018,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淗e was just 21.乌鸦传媒�
If help had been available and come in time, Mahoney said, her son乌鸦传媒檚 passing, like many others, could have been avoided.
乌鸦传媒淗e was put on OxyContin by physicians for pain when he was just 13 years old and it destroyed his life,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut what destroyed his life even more was not being able to find compassionate help when he needed it and not being able to get support.乌鸦传媒�
According to the latest figures, 52,000 Canadians have died from overdoses since 2016, including over 16,000 in B.C.
Later this month, on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m., Saanich乌鸦传媒檚 Broad View United Church (3703 St. Aidan乌鸦传媒檚 St.) will host a gathering in honour of IOAD, featuring music, poetry, a candle-lighting ceremony, and space for attendees to display photos of lost loved ones.
The event will also be livestreamed through the church乌鸦传媒檚 website via .
