Vanisha Breault knows the devastating impact of addiction firsthand. Three of her children have struggled with substance use. While her daughter has been sober for eight years, two of her sons continue to battle fentanyl and heroin addictions while living on the street. Breault’s experience highlights the complex debate surrounding Alberta’s plan to introduce mandatory addiction treatment facilities. The facilities, slated to open this year in Edmonton and Calgary, are a key component of the province’s strategy to combat the opioid crisis. Under the Compassionate Intervention Act, families, doctors or police officers can petition family court for a treatment order if they believe someone is a danger to themselves or others due to addiction. A judge could then mandate that person to engage in treatment. Breault says such a system might have been something she would have considered for her sons in the past. “If that had been available—the involuntary treatment—I may have put my hand up for that,” she said. However, she says that is not the case anymore. “I really, truly believe people need to want to get sober,” said Breault. “People need to want to get help and I think taking away anyone’s freedom for any reason, is not good. “I don’t think we should be forcing anyone into treatment or to do anything.” Earl Thiessen, with Oxford House, a recovered addict who now helps others struggling with addiction, believes both voluntary and involuntary treatment have a role to play. “Is it more compassionate just to watch somebody die on the street, maybe commit crime and take someone else’s life? You’re going to have an argument there either way,” said Thiessen. “But giving that person the choice might make a difference. Taking that choice away could save someone’s life.” Government statistics show nearly 49,000 Canadians have died from fentanyl overdoses since 2016. Lorian Hardcastle, a health law expert with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law and Cumming School of Medicine, suggests the Alberta legislation could face legal challenges. “There are, of course, concerns that this legislation will violate individual rights,” said Hardcastle. She points to the potential charter challenges and the significant costs associated with such litigation. “Alleging that it violates the charter, potentially, the Bill of Rights, and that kind of charter litigation can be very expensive,” said Hardcastle. The province says recent data suggests a decline in opioid-related fatalities. The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions reported 78 opioid-related deaths in October of last year, a 48 per cent decrease from the same month in 2023. For the first 10 months of last year, Alberta saw a 39 per cent reduction in opioid-related fatalities compared to 2023.
