Shoot'em up

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by Craig Segal

Montreal police promise they will crack down on a shooting gallery a street worker is setting up in an undisclosed locale in the Plateau. "As far as we're concerned the possession of cocaine and heroin is still illegal," says MUC Police rep André Durocher. "We'd just like to remind people that if they're in an illegal position they risk the possibility of being arrested."

Street worker Normand Senez isn't shaking. "I don't think they'll arrest me," says the ex-junkie. "They will warn me first--and there will be public debate." Senez's shooting gallery will provide a safe place where 15 coke and heroin addicts will be supervised and given clean needles. He claims he has the approval of local organized crime as long as he doesn't sell.

Of course Senez has the locals all riled up. "That's such a great news! I'm all for that!" says Caroline Doyer of the Compassion Club, which distributes marijuana to people with doctors' notes. "And of course the government always reacts the same way to health problems. They just won't look into the crisis. They'll hide behind long-term research." One local politician hiding behind that research is Michel Prescott, mayoral candidate and leader of the old lefty Montreal Citizens Movement. In a 20-minute telephone interview, the firmest stance this reporter could get out of Prescott was "a need for more studies and public debate."