B.C. doctor calls Clement's Insite comments 'repugnant'

VANCOUVER — A doctor who works with addicts at North America's only supervised injection site says Health Minister Tony Clement's slam against physicians who support the facility is “repugnant” and “introduces an element of ugliness into the discussion.”

Dr. Gabor Mate said Tuesday he is outraged by Mr. Clement's suggestion that doctors who permit or encourage patients to shoot up at the Vancouver site, called Insite, lack medical ethics.

“As an expression of somebody who calls himself a minister of health, it's a very unhealthy statement,” Mate said.

“The repugnant aspect is his attack on the morality and ethics of human beings who are trying to work with a very difficult population.

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