City-run drug injection sites are supposed to be ‘safe.’ Try telling that to the surviving family members of Karolina Huebner-Makurat

The carnage continues on the increasingly mean streets of Toronto. And perhaps a new odious benchmark was reached last week when 44-year-old Karolina Huebner-Makurat was walking along Queen Street East in broad daylight, minding her own business, only to be murdered thanks to being struck by a stray bullet. Karolina was a mother of two young girls aged seven and four.

But why did this happen?

The Toronto Police Service noted that a physical altercation took place on July 7 between three males. “Two of the males,” according to police, “brandished handguns and discharged them at each other.”

The suspects then fled the area on foot; at time of writing, one suspect had been arrested while two other suspects were still being sought by police.

But what isn’t being so widely reported by the mainstream media is that this shooting happened just a stone’s throw away from a so-called “safe” injection site operated by the South Riverdale Community Health Centre. One theory regarding what happened last Friday is that the two gunmen were involved in a “turf war”. After all, these “safe” injection sites not only attract consumers of hard drugs but also those who sell such odious merchandise.

Whether one thinks safe injection sites are good or bad, it is absolutely outrageous that such an operation was located at this particular venue given that it is a mere 150 metres away from an elementary school. A daycare operation is also nearby. Indeed, if the operator of a legal cannabis store was applying for a licence to set up shop on this stretch of Queen Street, the application would be denied given the proximity to children. Yet, hard drug users (and the pushers) are welcomed with open arms? Despicable.

Little wonder that the Toronto Police Association stated the following in a Twitter post on July 9: “Where is the outrage from the public/local politicians over an innocent bystander being murdered in broad daylight on our city streets?”

Indeed, this is another tragedy when it comes to Karolina’s brazen murder: the lack of accountability from elected officials.

We reached out to Dr. Carolyn Bennett, the federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, as well as Ontario NDP MPP Peter Taubens and city councillor Paula Fletcher for comment . All of whom support such sites. Our questions were as follows:

1. Regardless of one’s feelings pertaining to the effectiveness of safe injection sites, is it prudent to have such a site so closely located to a school and a daycare operation?
2. Evidently, these sites serve as beacons for drug dealers as well as addicts. The shooting might’ve been a turf war between two rival dealers. And yet, I understand that police have been told not to patrol this area because that might lead to further stigmatizing the clients. How does such a policy contribute to overall public safety?
3. What does the future entail for this site? Will it be permanently closed? If not, why not?

Only Dr. Bennett’s office responded, suggesting we reach out to the City of Toronto and the Toronto Police.

And get this the Liberal MP for the riding where the safe injection site is located is, Julie Dabrusin. Her constituency office is less than a football field away from the South Riverdale Community Health Centre. We paid a house call, but even though the office was fully staffed, the doors remained locked shut and no comment was provided. Were they afraid of impolite questions or worried about an impromptu visit by some of the scary looking types enroute to the safe injection site? Shameful.

As well, no one at the South Riverdale Community Health Centre would provide comment either.

Of note: just hours prior to our arrival at the safe injection site, leftist Olivia Chow was sworn in as Toronto’s newest mayor. One of her priorities: spending millions of taxpayer dollars to rename Dundas Street. Message received: Toronto being woke as opposed to being safe would appear to be Job One for Ms. Chow.