Transparency only option for NDP on proposed detox centre

If the Manitoba government wants to move ahead with its plan to open a 72-hour detox centre for highly intoxicated people, it owes the public — especially residents living near the proposed site — a lot more information than it has provided so far.

Premier Wab Kinew’s government quietly floated the idea of repurposing a site — located at 190 Disraeli Fwy. — that was originally considered for a supervised consumption facility into a so-called “stabilization centre,” where people under the influence of drugs or alcohol could be held for up to 72 hours.

The goal, according to the government, would be to provide a safe place for people to detox, get medical care and connect them with treatment and recovery supports.

It sounds like a compassionate, common-sense response to the visible addictions crisis gripping Winnipeg’s core. But there are a lot of unanswered questions — not just about how such a centre would operate and how the surrounding community would be protected, but also about the legal and scientific basis for holding people against their will for as long as three days.

If the NDP is serious about moving forward, it has a responsibility to show the public the evidence behind this model and to demonstrate that a 72-hour detention period is justified, safe and effective.

The idea of converting the space into a detox facility came after the government abandoned plans for a supervised consumption site at the same location. The province says it’s working on an alternative site for the latter.

At the time, community members raised legitimate concerns about crime, safety and the lack of consultation around a proposed supervised consumption site. They didn’t oppose helping people struggling with addictions; they just didn’t want to see an already-challenged neighbourhood face a potential public-safety issue.

Now, without any clear public consultation or detailed plan, the government is back proposing a different kind of facility at the same location — one that would still serve many of the same clients.

If Kinew and his cabinet learned anything from the last experience, they’ll need to engage the community early and often this time. People deserve to know how this new centre would be managed, who would run it, what security measures would be in place and how nearby residents and businesses would be protected.

It’s not enough to simply say “trust us.”

Then there’s the much bigger question — why 72 hours, up from the current 24 hours enshrined in law?

The government has not explained what scientific or clinical evidence supports holding someone for up to three days — a proposed timeline contained in a bill that is still before the legislative assembly.

Is there credible research showing that shorter holds are ineffective for detoxing from methamphetamine? What is the medical rationale for 72 hours?

If such evidence exists, the province should produce it. Manitobans deserve to see the research and expert recommendations that underpin the government’s policy decisions.

If there is no solid clinical evidence supporting a 72-hour detention, then this timeline risks looking arbitrary — and that’s a serious problem.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects Canadians from arbitrary detention. Unless the province can demonstrate that the 72-hour period is both necessary and proportionate to the public health and safety goals it’s trying to achieve, the policy could face serious legal challenges.

There’s a delicate balance between protecting people from harm and respecting their rights. Addictions and mental health are complex, deeply personal issues. Many people who end up in crisis because of substance use do need urgent medical attention and stabilization.

But detaining people against their will, even for their own safety, is an extraordinary measure that must be justified with clear evidence and strong legal safeguards.

The government is right that Manitoba desperately needs more treatment capacity and better interventions for people in crisis. But if it wants to introduce a model that allows for involuntary holds of up to 72 hours, the onus is on the province to prove it’s evidence-based.

The local community also deserves straight answers. How will the centre operate day-to-day? What security will be in place to prevent violence or drug trafficking nearby?

These are the kinds of operational details that will determine whether the facility can succeed and whether the public will accept it. Without that clarity, the province risks sowing mistrust and opposition before the first client even walks through the door.

If the detox centre is truly about saving lives and connecting people with help, the government should have no problem showing Manitobans the evidence and explaining how it will work.

But if the 72-hour timeline is arbitrary, if the plan is being rushed without consultation, or if it skirts dangerously close to violating people’s rights, then the NDP should go back to the drawing board.

This is too important to get wrong.

» Tom Brodbeck is a Winnipeg Free Press columnist.