Kinew promises meth task force will ‘bring the hammer down’ on drug traffickers

Premier Wab Kinew drew cheers Tuesday from Manitoba municipal leaders gathered in Winnipeg, promising that a meth task force will “bring the hammer down” on drug traffickers.

“When we talk about people living with addictions, it’s not a choice. But if you’re trying to get a gold chain or a nice car by selling substances that cause misery and heartbreak for families, that is a choice, and you are going to be held accountable in Manitoba,” Kinew said at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities’ fall convention.

The premier connected crime, overdose deaths and destruction plaguing communities across the province to those profiting from the sale of methamphetamine and exploiting vulnerable people.

“Whether you talk about the person who’s doing a (break-and-enter), somebody on the city street who’s wilding out, causing a disturbance — if you’re talking about so many of the challenges we see around public safety in Manitoba, really, you’re talking about drugs, and most often you’re talking about meth.”

Last week’s throne speech announced the creation of a meth task force that includes the Winnipeg Police Service, RCMP and other law enforcement agencies, including First Nations.

“When we have other parts of the world sending new, higher-octane meth that is taking advantage of our vulnerable people here in Manitoba, we’ve got to push back. And so we’re taking action… to bring the hammer down on drug traffickers — people who are pushing our communities and are causing death and causing destruction — we should not have any mercy for those folks,” Kinew said to cheers and applause.

“Selling substances that cause misery and heartbreak for families, that is a choice, and you are going to be held accountable in Manitoba.”

“We look forward to working with you on that and love the collaboration of local leaderships and being able to crack down on that.”

The premier had few details to share about the meth task force Tuesday but told reporters after his speech that “a lot of new resources” would be rolled out by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.

A co-ordinated strategy is at the top of the agenda, said Kinew, who stressed the need for a united front across the province.

“The person trafficking meth is not stopping at the Perimeter,” he said.

“They’re jumping on a plane and going north. They’re driving to a rural community or a First Nation. We’ve got to have those local police departments or the RCMP engaged, sharing information and, at the end of the day, cracking down on people who are choosing to cause damage to our communities.”

As for the province’s controversial plan to open a 72-hour detention centre in the coming weeks for people in a state of meth psychosis who pose a safety threat, the premier dismissed concerns that it will be unsafe for detainees.

“We’re not starting from a place of utopia and bringing a sobering centre into the pearly gates of heaven,” Kinew said.

A crowd estimated at about 200 protested Sunday outside the legislature, raising concerns about the facility, which Kinew has vowed to have open soon. month. Some said the 20-suite facility’s setup is not trauma-informed and lacks needed supports.

“We’re not starting from a place of utopia and bringing a sobering centre into the pearly gates of heaven.”

Kinew said Tuesday the new facility “a dramatic improvement” and “much nicer” than where intoxicated persons are currently detained.

“Right now, if someone’s intoxicated on Main Street, they get taken to the drunk tank. The toilet is a grill on the floor,” he said.

The province has delayed the opening of the 72-hour “protective care centre” at 190 Disraeli Fwy. to make sure that the necessary supports are in place to help people, he said.

“The physicians with the expertise in addictions medicine are going to have the ability to completely design every aspect of this medical intervention that they see fit,” he said.

“We’re delivering on trauma-informed care, we’re delivering on improved services for people with addictions, we’re delivering a health-care based approach. But most importantly, we’re taking steps to keep you safe from the impacts that meth is having on our communities.”

The premier would not say where a supervised consumption site expected to open in downtown Winnipeg in January will be located.

“We’re putting the application (to the federal government) together,” he said. “We just want to make sure we’ve got all our I’s dotted and T’s crossed before we share (it).”

Also at the AMM convention, the premier pointed to the need for basic respect for local leaders and called on attendees to stand and show their support for Mayor Armand Poirier and council in the Rural Municipality of Tache, where a resident set up a Halloween display that depicted municipal council members hanging by their necks.

“We’ve got your back,” Kinew told them. “Hopefully everybody else in the room knows that if something terrible like that were ever to be directed towards you, that the rest of the province would be there in your time of need, as well.

“We need to say that’s not part of what we do here in Manitoba.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca