Manitoba bill to extend drug detention faces deadline as Opposition pushes for change

Manitoba’s Opposition Progressive Conservatives say planned detention centres for people intoxicated on drugs such as methamphetamines should not be built close to schools, parks and personal care homes.

A NDP government bill now before the legislature would extend the amount of time intoxicated people can be detained to 72 hours from the current 24 hours.

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The extra time is aimed at dealing with the long-lasting effects of methamphetamines, and the bill would require one or more “protective care centres” to be set up to house people.

The Tories have proposed amendments that include a ban on having such centres within 500 metres of schools, parks, care homes and a supervised drug consumption site that the government is also planning.

Bernadette Smith, the minister for housing, addictions and homelessness, says the Tory proposal is so broad, it could force the current alcohol detention centre in downtown Winnipeg to shut down.

The government is hoping to pass the bill into law before the legislature session ends next week.