Crack Pipes and Science

A recent study of used crack pipes in Ottawa by a University of Victoria Professor determined it is possible to transmit Hepatitis C via crack pipes. (Link) The reaction from Mayor Larry O'Brien was he would have to see data that suggest the city program caused addicts to avoid sharing crack pipes before he would change his mind. This despite the fact that another study found that sharing of crack pipes actually decreased due to the program. Despite the study, this blog post isn't going to go in the expected direction. I think, despite the recent study, the city of Ottawa's decision to cancel the crack pipe program was the right decision.

I however don't think the decision on City council was made for the right reasons. Rather than admitting certain scientific facts such as "this program reduces the spread of diseases" you see an attempt by many on council to refute the scientific evidence or dismiss it. Overall on matters of medical science I am much more willing to trust a medical doctor or researcher than Jan Harder or Larry O'Brien. Elected officials should accept scientific evidence as fact and not try to interpret it for their own political purposes. This is a continual problem we see in the USA regarding sex ed and evolution and now it infiltrates our own little corner of the world. I think those on council, Mayor O'Brien included, who voted against the program should be intellectually honest and admit certain consequences regarding their actions. Admitting those consequences doesn't mean you made the wrong decision.

Personally, I believe the program should have been canceled because I don't believe it is always the governments responsibility to engage in any program simply because it reduces immediate harms. I fully recognize that more people may well get certain communicable diseases due to the cancellation. I think there are greater long-term problems with having a government essentially promote drug use. Anyway I perhaps will make a longer post on exactly why I don't like crack pipes.

Radio Topics for December 18th

Next week is Christmas day. For those that would like to include Mike and I (and Josh Prowse and Giacomo Panico) in your Christmas mornings, we will be broadcasting our annual “Top 5 Least Important News Stories” of the year. These are the sorts of things that we all ended up talking about a lot, but in the end we probably all are poorer for doing so. In any case, that will take place at the usual time next week, and will be put up on www.mikepowell.ca sometime shortly thereafter. For real.

But what is the usual time? Tuesday Morning, 7-9am on 93.1fm for those in Ottawa, the CKCU website for all the rest.

As for tomorrow:

At 8:30, we’ll be joined over the phone by Kate Van Slyck of the Amethyst Women’s Addiction Centre as part of our ongoing series on Ottawa community organizations.

It’s December 18th. Do you know where your snow removal budget is?

Ottawa to close Swantanamo Bay, release Swans to someone else.

Zero may not mean zero, but good science still means no crackpipes.

Baird agrees to binding targets at bali. WTFBBQ?

Another “scandal” in the works? In other news, Noted lifelong liberal suggests ill of the mother corp on a competitors political talk show.

Santa writes to small children, signs “ho! ho! hoes!”

Props where props are due: NDP appears before Bouchard-Taylor Commission, sending their best star to not Ottawa on the day that Mulroney appears before Ethics Committee.

WSIB to keep up with controversial (but engaging) television ads.

Apparently it is racially motivated when Asian fisherman are attacked at night.

‘Topes Win: Ottawa restarts reactor despite best advice of Science, Common Sense.

Ottawa Senators Foundation Flap

I'm a little late writing about this but that is okay. It hasn't been a week quite yet so the news is still"fresh" and "exciting". Last Monday First Place Pregnancy Center withdrew from the Ottawa Senators Foundation annual fund raiser hosted by the Senators "Better Halves", also known as the wives and girlfriends of current Senators players. The withdrawal comes after Planned Parenthood Ottawa issued a press release calling First Place an "pro-life" or "anti-choice" organization.

First off I think this is a scare tactic to prevent a perfectly legitimate group from receiving valuable funds. The only evidence of pro-life activities is the fact First Place refuse to make referrals for abortions and offers post-abortion counseling for women. I certainly don't think there is any requirement for a private group to make a referral for abortion. Furthermore if a women requests an abortion then First Place encourages her to visit a doctor and discuss her options with a trained medical professional. I for one, think discussing an invasive procedure with a doctor is a good idea, regardless of your political stripes.

Allowing women have access to information which offers other options other than abortion is something pro-choice people should be happy with. It encourages a free choice where information regarding other, lesser known procedures like adoption or keeping your child, is discussed. Without full information symmetry, it isn't really a free choice as currently abortion is often treated as a default option. I don't think this makes them pro-life, it simply means they aren't pro-abortion. There is a large distinction between the two. Even noted feminists like Hilary Clinton have said the ideal number of abortions is zero.

As for offering post-abortion counseling, this is simply providing a service which Planned Parenthood doesn't offer. Regardless of what you think about abortion, if women are having issues dealing with post-abortion stress then there should be counseling available. This is a valuable service provided which now won't receive money it should.

Another interesting issues is the use of language by pro-choice activists is interesting. No longer are groups such as Lifeline (a national organization on university campuses such as Carleton and UBC) considered to be pro-life, rather they are anti-choice. The change in rhetoric is noteworthy because it demonstrates an attempt to de-legitimize pro-life groups. To accept the term pro-life represents, on some sense, an acceptance of the idea that the issue of abortion is one which deals with life. If pro-choice groups concede that key admission, even subtly, then their own position is weakened. If it is a simple matter of choice that is one thing, but if it is a matter of life then it becomes much more difficult to convince a generally apathetic public.

Radio Topics for December 11th

As usual we air on CKCU 93.1fm from 7 to 9:00am. For those outside of Ottawa you can listen live on the web at the CKCU website.

At 7:30 I will be speaking with Dave Bidini, former member of Canadian indie-rock institution The Rheostatics and the author of the new book Around the World in 57 and a Half Gigs.

Larry O'Brien challenged the OPP to either end their investigation or lay charges, looks like he got his wish.

Robert Pickton is guilty...but not of the crime the RCMP wanted to get him for.

Schreibergate continues today. Once he is done we get Mulrooney.

Philip Pullman and his books are creating quite the stir. Another school pulls The Golden Compass.

Robert Latimer, who ignited a national debate on euthanasia, is denied parole.

City of Ottawa to help businesses affected by the partial building collapse.

Planned Parenthood vs. The Ottawa Senators Foundation.

The CIA used "alternative interrogation methods" and then destroyed the tapes. Wow!

Radio Topics for December 4th

As usual we air on CKCU 93.1fm from 7 to 9:00am. For those outside of Ottawa you can listen live on the web at the CKCU website.

Ottawa City Council wants 1% of the GST but not really sure how to go to go about getting it.

Bernard Lord will find out what the deal regarding bilingualism.

When the city's traffic control manager says we have a traffic problem, we have a traffic problem.

Don't give panhandlers change, give the money to a kindness meter instead.

Opening up the cellphone market in Canada. 40% of the spectrum to be reserved for new providers.

Centretown Movies future up in the air.

No cuts to front-line services in Ottawa.

Discover child porn and fail to report it? You're off to jail.

Canadian Islamic Congress launches a human rights complaint against Macleans for this.