(Montreal) Quebec Solidaire co-spokeswoman Manon Massé believes a new pilot project to combat intoxication in bars is misguided by putting full burdens on victims.
Posted at 1:57 p.m
Éduc’Alcool, in partnership with the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), on Thursday announced a campaign entitled “Check your glass” that would see the distribution of 10,000 glass screen protectors to prevent malicious individuals from using drugs at deposit consumption.
PHOTO KAROLINE BOUCHER, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Manon Massé, co-spokeswoman for Québec solidaire
The project was presented in the presence of the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel.
But according to the Sainte-Marie-Saint-Jacques member, this new campaign still targets victims too much and focuses too little on criminals.
In a press release published on Friday, Ms Massé directly challenged Minister Bonnardel, stressing that women are already aware of what they drink. In her opinion, the protective glasses are not uninteresting, but they “did not solve the problem at the source”.
“In the public space, testimonies are multiplying and everyone is heading in the same direction: the date-rape drug affects everyone. So why just release a campaign that still puts all the blame on the victims? It’s absurd and inadequate,” she lamented.
However, Éduc’Alcool and the SPVM deny that the victims bear full responsibility. They argue that this campaign wants to show that “everyone is affected and that everyone can really play a crucial role” in the problem.
“The pilot project draws attention to individual responsibility, but also to collective action, both for the witnesses, the people who intoxicate people without their knowledge, and for the victims,” emphasizes a press release published on Thursday.