So far flash protests that come and go have proven ineffective at swaying public policy. Someone has decided to dig in and show up every day until the government gives in.
About two dozen supporters from Moms Stop The Harm rallied at the BC Ministry of Health office in Victoria joining in on day 8 of Aubrey’s Marathon a Day for Safe Drug Supply, brandishing signs and running laps in an effort to draw the government’s attention to the urgency of our deadly drug overdose crisis.
The initiative was started by Jessica Michalofsky, a triathlete who lost her son Aubrey to the contaminated street drug supply in spite of all the futile initiatives that have been taken to keep these people alive another day; in fact, two days prior to his death she was competing in an Ironman triathlon in Penticton. Which isn’t to say this is a breeze for her, but she’s still showing up every work day from 11 to 5, running laps around the government’s office trying to draw attention to the cause.
The mainstream media have been covering the event, from local news outlets like the Victoria News and the Times Colonist to CTV News and even the CBC, the latter which just showed up this morning.
At peak attendance we were eight people running laps together, while discussing the challenges we face in advocating for drastic lifesaving measures. Jessica stresses the fact that the public at large remains uneducated in such issues, to the point they may never even have heard of methadone, which indeed I would forgive people for confusing with a mastodon. But our toxic drug supply does not forgive, and every day kills more people while the public remains oblivious to this public health emergency. And multiple supporters have commented on the stark difference in public policy between the drug overdose crisis and the COVID pandemic, which kill comparable numbers of people, yet the government seems loath to apply the same standard.
Jessica, in a prelude to this protest marathon, climbed atop a traffic lights pole last month at the same intersection, unfurling a banner reading “TOXIC DRUG DEATH IS PREVENTABLE” and “PROVIDE SAFE SUPPLY”, leading to a spectacular rescue by the firefighters.
If you live in the area, feel free to drop by at the corner of Blanshard Street and Pandora Avenue on work days between 11AM and 5PM and run a few laps with her, she’ll be delighted to get support.
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