Mayoral candidate Murray promises 'immediate' addictions treatment services

Mayoral candidate Glen Murray is promising to put the brakes on Winnipeg's widening social crisis by ensuringthe city has more addictions treatment and recovery services.

The catch is much if not most of the money would come from other levels of government after he takes office and spends more than a year putting the details of a plan that would also involve dozens of addictions-treatment centres,non-profit housing organizations, churches and community-health organizations.

On Friday, Murray stood alongside the leaders of three addictions-recovery centres and promised Winnipeggers would be able to obtain access to addictions treatment "with little or no wait time" and also have a place to live.

"I am going to beat this drum if I have to every week for eight years until we've done this," said Murray, suggesting he intends to serve two terms as mayor if he's elected in October.

He thenbroke into tears as he described how his son succumbed to addictions and died three years ago, in Calgary.

"You think when someone gets to 46 years old, they're safe. You finally got it done. And then to spend your life invested in people's lives to see these brutal drugs come out and kill people you love," Murray said.

Mayoral candidate Murray promises 'immediate' addictions treatment services

2 years ago

Duration 1:02

Mayoral candidate Glen Murray is promising to put the brakes on Winnipeg's widening social crisis by ensuring the city has more addictions treatment and recovery services.

Murray also pledgedto "immediately restore and scale up"funding for outreach programs at community health centres such as Mount Carmel Clinic, Nine Circles Community Health and Klinic Community Health Centre, noting their funding has been cut by the province.

He also said he will work other levels of government to restore this funding and also restore funding for housing programs he described as underfunded.

Both housing and health are provincial responsibilities. Murray said he does not know how much money would be required to restore the funding but said the benefits of improved lives would result in lower costs for all levels of of government in the long run.

"You're always going to ask me how can we afford this. My question is the reverse: How can we afford not to?" Murray asked.

Health Minister Audrey Gordon declined to comment on Murray's plan.

Murray also promised to place some paramedic stations at community health centres so they can treat people with non-life-threatening medical andmental health ailments 24 hours a day.

This would reduce the burden on police and the fire-paramedic service, he said, praising the city's existing community paramedics as a successful existing example of this sort of service diversion.

Rival mayoral candidates Robert-Falcon Ouellette and Kevin Klein have both promised to redirect more funds toward community paramedics. Ouellette launched his campaign by promising more social services during evenings and weekends.

Murray made his announcement alongside Bruce Oake Recovery Centre executive director Greg Kyllo, Two Ten Inc. founder Ian Rabb and Morberg House founder Marion Willis.

Rabbsigned Murray's nomination papers, whileWillis placed her signature on Klein's nomination papers. Kyllo said he is not supporting any candidate.

Murray, Klein and Ouellette areamong15 candidates running for mayor. Idris Adelakun, Rana Bokhari, Chris Clacio,Vincent Gabriele, Scott Gillingham, Shaun Loney, Jenny Motkaluk, Jessica Peebles, Rick Shone, Govind Thawani, Desmond Thomas and Don Woodstock have also registered mayoral campaigns.

• Read more from the CBC on the 2022 Winnipeg election

Candidates must also submit nominationpapers bySept. 20in order to appear on the election dayballot on Oct. 26.