Podcast appearances and mentions of guy felicella

Do tough-on-crime sentences actually prevent crime? This is VANCOLOUR host Mo Amir asks criminal defense lawyer Kyla Lee (Acumen Law) and motivational speaker Guy Felicella on whether or not crime prevention is being properly discussed in Canada's federal election.Recorded: April 21, 2025

Today we talk to GUY FELICELLA, HARM REDUCTION ADVOCATE IN VANCOUVER and JAMIE THOMAS

Elon Musk isn't just shaping the future of technology—he's wielding unprecedented influence over American policy with an official role in Trump's Department of Government Efficiency. With deep economic stakes in transportation, social media, satellite technology, and space exploration, his personal interests are increasingly intertwined with national policy, raising serious ethical red flags. Critics warn that his unchecked access to private data, his ability to control information sharing through X (formerly Twitter), and his lack of accountability pose a grave risk to democracy itself. We get into it with cybersecurity expert Nejolla Korris.  5:20 | But first...President Donald Trump sent shock waves around the world with his candid comments about the U.S. "owning" Gaza and displacing 1.8 million Palestinians along the way. 16:20 | The world's richest man has a huge influence on America's domestic and foreign policy as an unelected official. We talk to cybersecurity expert Nejolla Korris about Elon Musk's relationship with Donald Trump, America's move toward a tech oligarchy, and the rise of bots on social media sites.  NEJOLLA'S WORK: https://www.interveritas.com/ 1:03:30 | Got plans for Family Day weekend? Why not head out to Jasper! Ryan gives a sneak peek of his family's video collaboration with Tourism Jasper, and has details on an Edmonton fundraiser for Jasper Raft Tours. FAMILY DAY in JASPER: https://www.jasper.travel/blog/5-ways-celebrate-family-day-jasper-national-park/ RAISE THE RAFT: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1207727644688155&set=pcb.1207727728021480 1:11:11 | When should government fund or defund media? Jespo pulls back the curtain on Real Talk's position, including whether or not we receive a federal media subsidy.  1:32:20 | Do you engage when a friend or family member shares misinformation on social media? Ryan shares details of a current conundrum.  1:39:45 | Did you catch the awkward exchange between journalist Lauren Boothby and Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee?  1:46:45 | Tough look for Edmonton, as Donald Trump's National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett takes a big swipe at Alberta's capital city on an international news broadcast.  GUY FELICELLA on REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/051723GuyF TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com  HANG OUT WITH JESPO AT OTR ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY: https://ontherocksyeg.com/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen  JOIN US ON FACEBOOK & LINKEDIN: @ryanjespersen  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors

Guy Felicella, Harm Reduction and Recovery Expert, responds to Premier Ford's stigmatizing people living in homelessness and his decision to close life-saving safe consumption sites. McMaster Researcher Gessie Stearns also joins host Laura Babcock to discuss alarming new death statistics among the unhoused population and what the City and Province need to do NOW. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should hospitals distribute free crack pipes? This is VANCOLOUR host Mo Amir chats with harm reduction and recovery expert Guy Felicella to discuss the controversy surrounding Vancouver Island hospitals distributing free crack pipes, cocaine snorting kits, and other harm reduction supplies. Plus, BC United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick discusses how the suspension of BC United's election campaign has deepened political polarization in British Columbia. Lastly, Mo asks whether or not the Conservative Party of BC has a plan for the province's escalating homelessness crisis.Recorded: September 9, 2024

Wednesday's random attacks in downtown Vancouver are prompting a renewal of calls to reopen Riverview Hospital to treat people with mental illnesses. Our guests Brad West, Port Coquitlam mayor, and Guy Felicella, harm reduction and recovery advocate, join us to discuss the nuanced topic of institutionalisation. Then, Gwen Sjogren, author of the "O Canada Crosswords" series joins us to play our on-air puzzle game with our audience.

Opioid Crisis Part 2? On an important follow up to last weeks round table discussion with advocate Guy Felicella and columnist Adam Zivo, we're sitting down with an expert in addictions and addiction treatment, Dr. Monty Ghosh to fact check what was said as well as ensure the context of our episode is set where it should be!! From his U of C bio where he is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, "Monty Ghosh is an Internist and Addiction Specialist who works at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton as an Internist as well as the Foothills and Rockyview Hospitals doing Addiction Medicine in Calgary.  He works with multiple community based not for profit organizations to provide support for marginalized populations including The Alex and The Calgary Drop-In Centre. He also helps foster and create unique programs to support those living with substance use, experiencing homelessness, and with other vulnerabilities.  He is the Medical Co-Lead for the AHS Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Program." Don't forget, we have merch that's available at www.abpoli.ca! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at info@thebreakdownab.ca! If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

We speak to Shoshana Bodenstein about her terrifying experience. We also talk to Guy Felicella, Harm Reduction and Recovery Expert about the idea of involuntary drug treatment and whether or not it would work.

With provincial and national politicians using the work of columnists and writers to justify their policy decisions, particularly in the realm of addictions and mental health issues, we put together a panel that you won't want to miss with opinion columnist Adam Zivo and public speaker Guy Felicella! In this conversation we try to unpack how it is that there can be a great deal of shared reality, but the conclusions and strategies that people come to can be wildly divergent. Don't forget, we have merch that's available at www.abpoli.ca! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/ thebreakdownab and we can now accept e-transfers at info@thebreakdownab.ca! If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

We discussed harm reduction, recovery, policies and the humanizing of people who use drugs. The need for the continuum of care, trauma and much more.

On Monday's show, we conclude our Road to Recovery series by discussing the support people need as they rebuild their lives. We're joined for an hour-long discussion by Guy Felicella, a harm reduction advocate and addiction educator, and Sarah Beley, director of Working Gear. To watch previous episodes of this series, visit the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd9pLwfvcsdTNKLPb39brq5jnamz78fNkAnd, we preview tonight's winner-takes-all Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. You can watch that game live at 5 p.m. PT on CBC TV.

When B.C. decriminalized small amounts of drugs in January 2023, it was seen as a promising weapon in the battle against the drug crisis. In May, B.C. walked that policy back, saying it caused disorder in the streets.In a similar move, Toronto tried decriminalizing, but the feds quickly shot down their attempt. So what gives? Was this year-long experiment a disaster? Was it not given enough time to flourish? To find out, Mattea Roach asked professor Gillian Kolla, journalist Andrea Woo, and former drug user and advocate Guy Felicella.Host: Mattea RoachCredits: Noor Azrieh (Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)Guests: Guy Felicella, Andrea Woo, Gillian KollaBackground reading:#36 Is Canada Ready to Decriminalize Drugs? – The BackbenchDetox beds in B.C. routinely sit empty because of staff shortages – The Globe and MailOpinion: Backtracking on drug decriminalization is politically cowardly – and illogical – The Globe and MailBritish Columbia drops decriminalization of drugs in public – The GuardianAddictions minister had ‘deep concerns' with Toronto's decriminalization pitch – Global NewsDecriminalization in B.C.Decriminalizing people who use drugs in B.C.Sponsors: Douglas, AG1If you value this podcast, Support us! You'll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You'll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you'll be a part of the solution to Canada's journalism crisis, you'll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guy Felicella spent 30 years in the repeated cycles of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail. Today, he lives with his wife and three young children, and has over a decade of recovery and sobriety under his belt. Felicella was one of the speakers at a recent community dialogue on the toxic drug crisis at Nanaimo’s […]

Premier Doug Ford's government is prepared to wage war on the City of Toronto if it proceeds with plans to decriminalize minor possession of hard drugs. This, as Premier David Eby's government in British Columbia is all but trashing its plan to do the exact same thing. What's the right move, amid an opioid crisis that's killed 43,000 Canadians since 2016? We get into it (36:25) in this episode, in addition to a whole bunch of your feedback on city building, cancer, journalism, research funding, and the pains of parenting.  4:56 | Who would have thought rezoning bylaws could light a fire under so many people? Ryan and Johnny circle back on Calgary's marathon (sixteen-day!) Council meeting, and your response to our May 15, 2024 Real Talk Round Table on placemaking.  WATCH THAT EPISODE: https://rtrj.info/051524RTRT 20:11 | RIP Dutchy. Ryan and Johnny celebrate the life and career of Darren Dutchyshen, dead at 57. 30:12 | Why are so many young people dying from Cancer? Ryan reads an email from Real Talker Harry.  36:25 | Ontario's PC government says it'll fight Toronto tooth and nail if the city proceeds with plans to decriminalize possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. We revisit our recent conversation with Guy Felicella and Mo Amir about B.C. recriminalizing possession, and how the two stories fit together.  GUY AND MO ON REAL TALK: rtrj.info/050824BCPOLI 54:10 | How can we stop journalism from dying a slow death in Canada? Real Talker Shane has a few thoughts after our May 14, 2024 interview with Amber Bracken. AMBER ON REAL TALK: rtrj.info/051424Bracken LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com  1:00:45 | Maybe it's not such a bad thing after all for Premier Danielle Smith's government to review how research is funded at Alberta post-secondaries. Real Talker Cyril makes the case.  REAL TALK ROUND TABLE ON BILLS 18 & 20: rtrj.info/041624RTRT 1:11:03 | We wrap the show with powerful messages from Real Talkers Jay and Sheryl about our March 19, 2024 interview with sex trade abolitionist Andrea Heinz. WATCH THAT INTERVIEW: rtrj.info/031924Heinz GOLFERS: The Real Talk Golf Classic presented by CWB Wealth is close to selling out! We'd love for you to join us Thursday, June 20 at The Ranch G&CC for Edmonton's Best Golf Tournament in support of the Real Talk Julie Rohr Scholarship.  REGISTER TODAY: https://ryanjespersen.com/real-talk-g... SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS: https://www.ecfoundation.org/funds/th... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Ottawa has approved the B.C. government's request to recriminalize the use of illicit drugs in public spaces. This, about a year and a half after the province introduced a pilot project allowing adults to carry up to 2.5 grams of drugs for personal use without facing criminal charges. The move comes amid growing concerns around "hard" drug use in public, including playgrounds and hospitals.  3:55 | Recovery expert Guy Felicella and TV/podcast host Mo Amir tell us why they think the drug pilot crashed, and what it means for harm reduction efforts across the country.  CONNECT WITH GUY: https://guyfelicella.com/ THIS IS VANCOLOUR: https://www.thisisvancolour.com/ GARTH MULLINS ON REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/121020Mullins 32:20 | Check your junk mail and spam folders! All of a sudden, our Real Talk newsletters are being diverted out of folks' inboxes. Ryan has details on how you can win your way into NorthwestFest, Canada's longest-running documentary film festival.  35:45 | Ryan and Johnny debrief after the interview with Mo and Guy. We see what Real Talkers in the YouTube live chat have to say about politics and drug policy.  41:50 | Why did a multi-billion dollar carbon capture and storage project in Alberta hit the skids? Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, shares his theory. But first, Max takes us into his column on Pierre Poilievre coming for your charter rights. Make sure you stick around for Real Talker Brynley's query about the Karl Marx photo on Max's bookshelf. READ MAX'S WORK: https://www.nationalobserver.com/ 1:15:20 | We love hearing about first-time visits to Jasper National Park! We take a look at photos Alyssa shared from her "bucket filling" spring break family getaway. Plus, you've still got time to check out Taste of Spring in Jasper! It's #MyJasper Memories presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper.  TASTE OF SPRING: https://www.jasper.travel/taste-of-spring/ 1:27:30 | Gerald things Jerry Seinfeld needs to "grow a pair," Alison says we need to get serious about rail options for rural Albertans, and Peter says the government is "caving to the delusional demands of the far-right fringe". Real Talkers are all fired up for The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park!  FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com  When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road, make sure you let 'em know Real Talk sent you!  FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch GET FREE, LIMITED EDITION REAL TALK SOCKS WHEN YOU BECOME A PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

We begin this 4-part series with an interview with harm reduction and recovery advocate Guy Felicella. He tells host Michelle Eliot about his personal story of recovery. Then our panel discusses how barriers to care can be removed with Nicole Mucci, Union Gospel Mission's communications manager; Chapman Shaw, board member with Trinity House; and Bob Hughes, ASK Wellness' executive director.

Welcome to episode 6.27, a conversation with Harm Reduction and recovery advocate Guy Felicella! Guy made headlines recently when he was barred from a recovery conference in Calgary, and he generously sat down with us to explain what happened, but we get into a whole lot more than that, including the nature of recovery, the crossover of BC and Alberta politics and a whole lot more! Don't forget, we now have merch that's available at www.abpoli.ca, including a cold weather lineup! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/thebreakdownab. If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

With incredible advocate Guy Felicella being banned from attending a recovery conference in Calgary this week, we figured it was time for a throwback to our episode originally aired on August 28, 2023! We are SO excited to present our conversation, with survivor, advocate and all around amazing person Guy Felicella! This is one of the most intense episodes we've done yet, and it's an absolute must watch/listen! Guy Felicella grew up in a middle-class home in British Columbia but due to trauma, undiagnosed ADHD and difficulty at home and school, he fell into addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail. He spent nearly twenty years residing in a two-block radius in Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. Miraculously, with sheer determination and the help of others through harm reduction and recovery, Guy managed to survive the HIV/AIDS crisis in the DTES, two decades of being homeless, multiple life-threatening bone infections, and six drug overdoses. As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/thebreakdownab. If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

Today's guests: Guy Felicella, Recovery and Harm-Reduction expert David Macdonald, Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Dr. Paul Tiede, Centre for Astrophysics and a Harvard & Smithsonian postdoctoral fellow, and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Astrophysicist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody will be surprised to learn Alberta and Ottawa are at odds again. This time, it's over the funding and management of Pharmacare. Alberta was the first province to publicly decline the federal government's proposal for a national program...but is that actually a good move for everyday Albertans?  4:15 | Dr. Rupider Toor explains why she thinks Alberta should sign on to the national Pharmacare plan.  DR. TOOR'S PREVIOUS REAL TALK INTERVIEW: rtrj.info/081723Toor  PROJECT EMPOWHER: https://projectempowher.ca/ 26:25 | Take Back Alberta founder David Parker says he's seen the light. He says, after speaking with Premier Danielle Smith, he's done with vicious online attacks against his political opponents. Do you buy it? Does it matter?  37:15 | We had a big response to our March 6 episode about harm reduction with Euan Thomson and Anthony Furey. Ryan and Johnny discuss.  42:00 | Real Talker Emily gives us the goods re: how she feels about a national Pharmacare plan.  EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com  44:30 | It's DUMPING snow in Jasper right now! We show off a few photos of the brand new Knob Quad Chair at Marmot Basin and tee up the spring social schedule on the mountain in #MyJasper Memories presented by Tourism Jasper. LEARN MORE: https://www.skimarmot.com/ 47:30 | Johnny's been riding the bus to work for a while now, and says it's not the experience he was expecting. His comments lead to a bigger conversation about social supports, and a reference tto our interview with Guy Felicella and Dr. Andrea Sereda. GUY FELICELLA ON REAL TALK: https://rtrj.info/051723Felicella 1:03:30 | We've got an update to the story of that tailings pond leak contaminating the land and water near the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.  1:05:15 | We remember Kyle Dube. WATCH OUR DUBE INTERVIEW: https://rtrj.info/040623Dube FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: @realtalkrj  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

We hear from Elizabeth Hlookoff, author, and one of the hundreds of Doukhobor children forcibly removed from their homes by the B.C. government in the 1950s. She tells us about her experience in the New Denver School, the impact it had on her life, and responds to hearing an official apology from the province. We hear from Guy Felicella, peer clinical adviser at the B-C Centre on Substance Use on the provincial health officer's report on safer supply. And, it's Brian Minter Friday! We take all of your gardening questions.

Guy Felicella joins 980 CFPL's Mike Stubbs to talk about his battle with addiction, which saw him overdose six times. Felicella discusses his journey and the role that harm reduction strategies played in it. Felicella now advocates for the services and supports that are needed to help people on the road to recovery. Check out his website at guyfelicella.com

We're rounding the year off by revisiting our top 10 episode of 2023 (in no particular order). Guy Felicella spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail. He spent nearly twenty years residing in a two-block radius in Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. Miraculously, with sheer determination and the help of others through harm reduction and recovery, Guy managed to survive the HIV/AIDS crisis in the DTES, two decades of being homeless, multiple life-threatening bone infections, and six drug overdoses. We'll be dropping our top 10 most popular episodes over the next two weeks, so stay tuned! Plus we now have merch that's available at www.abpoli.ca, including a fall lineup! As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/thebreakdownab. If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

Free For All Friday - Hour 1. Amanda Galbraith breaks down the biggest stories of the day with Canada's top newsmakers. On today's show: Guy Felicella, peer clinical advisor at B.C Centre on Substance Use on toxic drug deaths in B.C. Kathleen Wynn, Former Premier of Ontario on the call for Canada to send RCMP to investigate sexual violence committed on Israeli women by Hamas Carmi Levy, CTV tech expert on Google's top search's of 2023 Free For All Friday - Hour 2. Hosts from all over the country join the roundtable to discuss the five biggest stories of the week. This week's show features panelists Karen Gordon, Principal of Gordon Strategy and Sharan Kaur strategist and former Deputy Chief of Staff to Bill Morneau Topics: Topic 1: Canada votes for ceasefire at UN Topic 2: New dental plan: good policy or waste of money? Topic 3: Quebec government is hiking tuition to $12,000 a year Topic 4: Google top trending search: any surprises? Topic 5: BC killed letter grades, good or bad?

CKNW On-Air Contributor Geri Mayer-Judson speaks with Guy Felicella, advocate for harm reduction and recover expert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC announces new legislation to crack down on public use of illegal drugs. Guy Felicella, Harm Reduction and Recovery Advocate

Today is the first day for an amendment to the province's decriminalization and safe supply pilot. We speak with CBC Vancouver Municipal Affairs reporter Justin McElroy about the "Decriminalization and Public Use" discussion at today's annual Union of B.C. Municipalities' convention and check in with Guy Felicella, Harm Reduction and Recovery Advocate, and Peer Clinical Advisor for the BC Centre on Substance Use. We also brought you breaking news from Ottawa where Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canadian national security have evidence that India was behind the assassination of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in Surrey, B.C.

We are SO excited to present our conversation, with survivor, advocate and all around amazing person Guy Felicella! This is one of the most intense episodes we've done yet, and it's an absolute must watch/listen! Guy Felicella grew up in a middle-class home in British Columbia but due to trauma, undiagnosed ADHD and difficulty at home and school, he fell into addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail. He spent nearly twenty years residing in a two-block radius in Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. Miraculously, with sheer determination and the help of others through harm reduction and recovery, Guy managed to survive the HIV/AIDS crisis in the DTES, two decades of being homeless, multiple life-threatening bone infections, and six drug overdoses. As always, if you appreciate the kind of content that we're trying to produce here at The Breakdown, please consider signing up as a monthly supporter at our Patreon site at www.patreon.com/thebreakdownab. If you're listening to the audio version of our podcast, please consider leaving us a review and a rating, and don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads!

Guy Felicella is a father, a husband, a son, a recovering addict and a harm reduction advocate based out of the Lower Mainland in British Columbia.  Guy's mission is to help as many people as he can get out of the churn of addiction and start on a productive path in their life. His story is one of numerous false starts and redemption, culminating in using his voice to shine a light on something a lot of people think they understand.  Take an hour to listen and see what you can learn. Check Guy out here. Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Promotional Consideration Provided by The GTFO Company. Visit them at: https://www.thegtf-outside.com and use Promo Code KITELEY10 for 10% off of your order! Restocks and new apparel arriving all the time so be sure to frequent the Be sure to follow them at: https://www.facebook.com/gtfocompany https://www.instagram.com/the_gtfo_company https://www.instagram.com/thegtfocompany_ambassadors https://www.tiktok.com/@thegtfocompany Music furnished by bensound.com Co-Host & Executive Producer: Liam Kiteley

Are prescribed opioids being sold on BC's streets? If so, is it a problem?  Harm reduction & recovery expert Guy Felicella gives HIS take on how BC is tackling the opioid crisis. Finally, it's not just Vancouver that's feeling the impact of these lethal drugs. What is Nanaimo looking like amidst all this?

It's a total disaster. For decades, Alberta has allowed oil and gas companies to ignore their legal obligation to clean up old wells, tailings ponds, and other environmental liabilities. It's obvious to anybody paying attention that the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) can't be trusted to look out for the public nor the planet.  4:00 | Markham Hislop has been covering the oil and gas industry for years, as publisher of Energi Media. He takes us into his investigative series "Unethical Oil: Alberta's Secret Shame," and explains how we got to this point. How bad is this mess? What happens if it's not cleaned up? Who on earth is going to foot the bill? Every Albertan needs to watch this interview.  READ MARKHAM'S REPORTING: https://energi.media/ CHECK OUT MARKHAM'S PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/energi-talks/id1534771882 35:45 | Snow is disappearing from Jasper's hiking and biking trails, meaning May Long Weekend is a perfect time to head to the mountains! This week's #MyJasper Memories highlights some of the best early season options to explore Jasper National Park.  CHECK OUT THE VENTURE BEYOND VIDEO SERIES: https://www.youtube.com/@JasperAlberta 39:50 | Our coverage of Canada's opioid crisis continues as Dr. Andrea Sereda and Guy Felicella join Ryan to talk harm reduction, safer supply, and political opportunism. Why are we so hesitant to accept evidence-based practices in this space? How do we hit stigma head on? What's the number one thing Guy, a survivor of six overdoses, wants you to remember about this issue?  1:17:10 | We are nothing without you, our amazing audience. Since the very first episodes of Real Talk, Brenda Walmsley was the first to sign into the live stream and wish us a "Good morning" in the comments. Ryan takes a minute to pay tribute to a forever friend.  WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre joins us for a stimulating conversation on bail reform, and accuses Justin Trudeau's drug policies of killing people. Learning more about the BC housing crunch from the Mayor of the Township of Langley. Drug recovery advocate Guy Felicella reacts to Mike's interview with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Surrey city council is declaring their shortage of schools a crisis, and are urging the province to build more schools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could the UCP really be blowing a big lead in Calgary? Will the NDP be able to hold on and win the election on May 29? Do you even believe what the polls are saying, or is your gut telling you something different? We take a look at some of the top headlines two weeks out from Election Day, and what they could mean outcome-wise. But first... 9:55 | Is the federal government's "safer supply" approach actually fuelling a new opioid crisis in Canada? Is additions research really "politicized and ideologically driven"? Journalist Adam Zivo joins Ryan (from Odesa, Ukraine) to get into his expose published in the National Post.  NOTE: PM Stephen Harper's former policy advisor Ben Perrin joins us Tuesday, and harm reduction expert Guy Felicella joins us Wednesday, to respond to Adam's report.  READ ADAM'S REPORT: https://nationalpost.com/feature/how-the-liberal-governments-safer-supply-is-fuelling-a-new-opioid-crisis 38:10 | Does UCP leader Danielle Smith seriously think police should be taking orders from the Premier? Did NDP candidate Kevin Van Tighem hurt his party with an essay comparing oil and gas workers to slaves? Charles Adler takes a look at the top political headlines in Alberta two weeks out from the election.  1:22:30 | Every golfer who's played a course lined with houses can relate to the nightmare of a rogue shot smashing a big, expensive window. We LOVE the story of a homeowner who paid it forward, featured in this week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy!  GET YOUR FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/ WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

For more on Parents & Addicts In Need, to follow on social media, the Don't Hide The Scars Podcast, to get involved, or to donate https://linktr.ee/painnonprofit Parents & Addicts in Need's Founder Flindt Andersen and Jason LaChance sat-down with Guy Felicella who is passionate about advocating for the vulnerable people who still suffer with addiction/mental health and is adamant about educating communities on the importance of a full spectrum of care from harm reduction to recovery and to eliminate the stigma that exists around drug addiction. We debate with Guy if providing certain harm reduction material at concerts and musical performances send the wrong message and encourage substance use? We also talk about long term harm reduction, which includes the use of Suboxone and Methadone. Guy Felicella grew up in a middle-class home in British Columbia but due to trauma, undiagnosed ADHD and difficulty at home and school, he fell into addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail. He spent nearly twenty years residing in a two-block radius in Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside. Miraculously, with sheer determination and the help of others through harm reduction and recovery, Guy managed to survive the HIV/AIDS crisis in the DTES, two decades of being homeless, multiple life-threatening bone infections, and six drug overdoses. Today, Guy has escaped the grips of the turmoil that kept him suffering and currently resides with his wife and three young children with nearly a decade of recovery and sobriety under his belt. Guy is a sought-after International Public Speaker who shares his personal experience and expertise at conferences, seminars ad summits and TEDx Talks. Guy attends various school districts and post secondary institutions to educate students on drug addiction. Guy spent nearly his entire life suffering with addiction and is now using his experience to change the hearts and minds of people. . He cares deeply about giving back to the communities that helped him through his darkest times, and is focused on spreading his message of hope to those struggling, to young people, to families, and to the world. For more on Guy Felicella : https://guyfelicella.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/donthidethescars/message

Guy was brought back from overdose at Vancouver's safe consumption site, Insite. He accessed that service over 4000 times in his 30 years of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail.Today he is a person in long-term recovery and is world-renowned as a speaker, and harm reduction and recovery advocate."Recovery is harm reduction and harm reduction is recovery. Gone are the days where it's either harm reduction or recovery. It's both."You won't want to miss this one friends as we kick down the door to a safer way this week once again,on Hard Knox Talks.Buckle up.----------------------Love what we do? Jump over to Apple Podcasts and give us a review!Stay up to date on upcoming live streams, get on our email list,  check out our shop, listen to our audios, and more. Click the link to start exploring.https://linktr.ee/hardknoxtalks

Guy shares his experience with a twenty-year addiction and homelessness; on six occasions he overdosed, died and was brought back to life. Today, Guy is an advocate for those who suffer from Substance Use Disorder and all that accompanies it, in an effort to remove the shame and stigma associated with addiction.

On this month's edition of Under One Roof special guest Chelsea Minhas sits down with Guy Felicella. Together, they discuss the important role harm reduction plays on the road to recovery for those battling with mental health and addictions.

Pawley has an eye opening conversation with Guy Felicella.  As a person in recovery,  Guy works for Vancouver Coastal Health, Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction and the BC Centre on Substance Use.  In addition, Guy attends various school districts and post secondary institutions to educate students on addiction.More info on Guy:www.guyfelicella.comInterested in hiring Pawley as public speaker? Go here:www.threequartercomedy.comRecovery Cast on Social:https://www.facebook.com/Recoverycast/https://twitter.com/Recoverycastpod

Guy Felicella is a remarkable man. He currently works for Vancouver Costal Health, The Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction, and is a world renowned public speaker. He also has one of the most incredible stories of recovery and redemption. Having spent over 20 years homeless on Vancouver's downtown eastside, Guy has literally seen every facet of humanity there is. Addicted to substances related to undiagnosed ADHD, Guy was written off by much of society, and he died of overdose and was brought back to life multiple times. But after working with professionals including Gabor Mate, Guy was saved from his previous life forever, and now serves as a living example of what can be done, and is an advocate of the highest quality to help teach all sides solutions for some of humanity's greatest challenges; the addicted, the mentally ill, and the impoverished. He and Mike discuss all that and more. A Must Listen.

Guy Felicella grew up in a middle-class home in Richmond but fell into addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail. He spent nearly 20 years residing in a two-block radius in the Downtown Eastside and using many resources, including harm reduction, to keep himself alive. Today, Guy has escaped the grips of the turmoil that kept him suffering and resides in Surrey with his wife and two young children with multiple years of recovery and sobriety under his belt. Guy is passionate about advocating for the vulnerable people who still suffer from addiction and educating communities on harm reduction to eliminate the stigma that exists around it. Guy has started a career with Vancouver Coastal Health, BCCSU, and Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction in addition to attending various school districts to educate students on addiction. Guy does public speaking at medical and addiction conferences and forums and is involved in various community groups aimed at helping the opioid crisis. Guy says, "A huge passion of mine is breaking the stigma and creating open honest conversations about drug policy, harm reduction, and addiction. I Look forward to speaking with students and parents. Ending stigma one talk at a time!" Guy spent nearly his entire life suffering from the disease of addiction and now he is using his experience to change the hearts and minds of people stating, “You can't save a dead addict.” For more on Parents And Addicts In Need, the Don't Hide The Scars Podcast and to donate or get involved https://linktr.ee/painnonprofit For More on Guy Felicella guyfelicella.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dhts/message

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/This week's guest on Being Human has one of the most extraordinary life stories of anyone I've met. I give you Guy Felicella.Guy grew up in a middle-class home but fell into addiction at a young age. He spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail.But a pivotal meeting with one of Canada's most celebrated doctors changed the course of his life. Guy is now nine years sober and in a stable relationship with three children, a remarkable turnaround.We dive into how he was able to achieve such a remarkable recovery.We talk:30 years of gang lifeMeeting Gabor MateThe trauma therapy that changed everythingPracticing 'doing kind'Confronting his abuser motherLinks:Guy's WebsiteGuy's Twitter   

> Sign Up For Our Newsletter: http://www.firsthuman.com/being-human-newsletter/This week's guest on Being Human has one of the most extraordinary life stories of anyone I've met. I give you Guy Felicella.Guy grew up in a middle-class home but fell into addiction at a young age. He spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail.But a pivotal meeting with one of Canada's most celebrated doctors changed the course of his life. Guy is now nine years sober and in a stable relationship with three children, a remarkable turnaround.We dive into how he was able to achieve such a remarkable recovery.We talk:30 years of gang lifeMeeting Gabor MateThe trauma therapy that changed everythingPracticing 'doing kind'Confronting his abuser motherLinks:Guy's WebsiteGuy's Twitter   

The opioids crisis is ravaging our communities. How can we all respond in a better, savvier way? Join Guy Felicella, addiction educator, harm reduction advocate and public speaker, and Multi-Hazards podcast host Vin Nelsen as they discuss how Canada, the US and the world can work smarter in dealing with opioids and all addiction “pandemics” that we face. Have a listen! Study Guide only at this link at the left labelled "PDF": https://multi-hazards.libsyn.com/the-opioids-crisis-with-guy-felicella Guy Felicella's Bio Named in The 2020 Vanmag Power 50 and recipient of the 2021 Courage to Come Back Award, Guy is a qualified expert who devotes his time and career to public speaking and advocating to reduce the stigma of harm reduction and educate on drug policy and addiction. Guy Felicella grew up in a middle class home in Richmond, BC, Canada but fell into drug addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment and jail. He spent nearly 20 years residing in the two block radius in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada, and using many resources, including harm reduction, to keep himself alive. Today, Guy has escaped the grips of the turmoil that kept him suffering and resides with his wife and three young children with multiple years of recovery and sobriety under his belt. Guy is passionate about advocating for the vulnerable people who still suffer in addiction and educating communities on harm reduction to eliminate the stigma that exists around it. Currently Guy works for Vancouver Coastal Health, Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction and the BC Centre on Substance Use. In addition, Guy attends various school districts and post secondary institutions to educate students on addiction. Guy spent nearly his entire life suffering in addiction and now he is using his experience to change the hearts and minds of people to the idea that recovery is harm reduction and harm reduction is recovery. Gone are the days where it's either harm reduction or recovery; it's both! Guy Felicella's website is at http://guyfelicella.com. Guy's photo and biography are from here. Outro: "Modern Time" by An Jone on Youtube Audio Library Episode Photos: Photo by Hennie Stander on Unsplash, photo from Guy Felicella's website, photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash, photo by Colin Davis on Unsplash

Joe and Amy chat with recovery counselor and harm reduction advocate, Guy Felicella. Guy talks them through Canadian drug policy, safe injecting facilities in Vancouver and how harm reduction saved his life and got him sober after 20 years of homelessness and addiction.

In his youth, Guy Felicella had a typical upbringing with a middle-class family.  He wasn’t diagnosed in school at the time but was diagnosed later in life with ADHD and a mild comprehension disorder.  To compound this, he also suffered verbal abuse from his family and classmates.  This is when he started using drugs at the age of 12 years old, and says now that if he didn’t at the time, he probably would have ended his life. Guy’s problematic addiction started 20 years ago, where he found himself involved with gangs, living on the streets of Vancouver, sleeping on cardboard, and moving from vacant houses and doorways to stay warm.  He would find himself in prison serving 35 days and coming out still in the detox process.  He says in prison they would give you valium for alcoholism, but nothing but Gatorade and Tylenol for heroin addiction.  He hopes this can be addressed because, for him & other heroin addicts, it creates more addicts without the proper treatment.  After in & out of prison and relapsing multiple times, he had the realization that the same drugs that he thought saved his life, were now the drugs that were ending his life.  He had a tough time coming to terms with that fact but eventually got to the point of wanting to start the recovery process. With his own addiction, Guy relapsed multiple times.  It was not a quick and easy path for his recovery.  He realized instead of beating himself up about relapsing, he would encourage himself to get back up & try it again, until something worked.  This led to his interest & exploration of Harm Reduction.  Guy says that Harm Reduction is an approach where you meet with the addict in controlled environments, and allow access to safe alternatives to the illicit drugs they are currently using.  He says this was instrumental in his own recovery process, keeping him alive long enough to find his own path to recovery. Besides this, Guy needed to focus on the underlying trauma that was at the root of his drug use.  He says we focus too much on judging and treating drug addiction instead of investigating and healing our past traumas.  EMDR therapy was really instrumental in his recovery.  It is a rapid eye movement therapy, to repair the coping skills in your mind to deal with past traumas.  These traumas are the roots of drug use, so if people can focus there first, the healing process should be more effective & better all around.  This was the key to his lasting recovery and wants to share what he’s learned with as many people as he can. Currently, Guy is involved with the Protentional Overdose Emergency Response Center, Vancouver Coastal Health, the B.C. Center on Substance Use, and has his own company where he speaks with high school students, college students & more, focusing on Harm Reduction & Recovery Initiatives.  He now has a Wife of 8 years and three beautiful kids.  His biggest passion is speaking with youth, even on TEDx Talk stages, relating to them on a personal level that he hopes will change their lives for the better. This is Guy Felicella in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down. For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/ For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/ https://www.facebook.com/51FIFTYLTM https://www.instagram.com/51fiftyltm/ https://twitter.com/51fiftyltm For Manscaped use the code KDD for 20% of at https://www.manscaped.com/ For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/knockindoorzdown/ https://www.facebook.com/knockingdoorsdown/ https://twitter.com/kddmediacompany https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUSJ5ooBFqso8lfFiiIM-5g/  For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race For Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/CVFoundation/ https://www.instagram.com/carlosvieirafoundation/ For more on Guy Felicella http://guyfelicella.com/ https://www.facebook.com/gfelicella/ https://www.instagram.com/felicellaconsulting/ https://twitter.com/guyfelicella/

Chapter 1: It was a moment many people had been waiting for. The testimony of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford and the questions were relatively straightforward. Who made the decision not to tell the prime minister about 2018 allegations against Gen. Jonathan Vance?  Guest: Amanda Connolly, Global News National Online Journalist. Chapter 2: SNL is a rite of passage for musicians, and actors, but not usually for business leaders.  This past weekend Elon Musk took the stage to host SNL, and he came out stressing that he wasn’t a “regular’ type of host. Chapter 3: Cooking website Epicurious recently said it would not post new beef recipes out of concern for the damage rearing cattle causes to the environment.  And now, one of New York’s top fine-dining restaurant has gone vegan. Chapter 4: A new study from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernadino reveals Vancouver reported more anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 than any other city in North America. Guest: Steven Ngo, Lawyer. Chapter 5: In what may be the most brazen shooting yet in Metro Vancouver’s latest spurt of gun violence, a 28-year-old man was shot dead near the international departure terminal at the Vancouver International Airport on Sunday. Guest:  Kim Bolan, Crime Reporter for the Vancouver Sun. Chapter 6: A story of perseverance at the end of a busy show. Harm reduction advocate Guy Felicella, who also overcame drug addiction has finally been able to get life insurance. This comes after he was denied for past drug use. He tells the story and process now Guest: Guy Felicella, Harm reduction advocate, overcame drug addiction See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evan Solomon discusses COVID-19 vaccine passports and when they could be coming to Canada.  On today's show:  We play Evan's full interview with Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan on the allegations against Gen. Jonathan Vance. We play Evan's full interview with Health Minister Patty Hajdu on vaccine passports and international travel restrictions.  Guy Felicella, a former drug dealer now advocate, explains how he is helping vaccinate people struggling with homelessness and drug addiction in Vancouver.  Dan Riskin, Bell Media science expert, discusses a new scientific discovery that could save the future of coffee production in the wake of climate change.   Mubin Shaikh, former counter terrorism operative, talks about Proud Boys Canada dissolving itself. 

Moms Stop the Harm cofounder Leslie McBain and BC Centre on Substance Use peer clinical advisor Guy Felicella reflect on five years since BC declared a drug poisoning public health emergency. Author John Kimantis discusses getting out on the water for recreation this spring and summer -- in a boat or otherwise.

This week's Unashamed Alcoholic guest is harm reduction advocate and inspirational speaker, Guy Felicella.Guy grew up in a middle class home in Richmond but fell into addiction at a young age. He spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment and jail and nearly 20 years residing in the two block radius in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver,  using many resources, including harm reduction, to keep himself alive.Today, Guy is using his experience to change hearts and minds on the idea that recovery is harm reduction and harm reduction is recovery.I hope you enjoy my conversation with Guy.Support the show

Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen describes how the mountain town has weathered COVID-19, and its post-pandemic economic recovery plan. Famed Canadian entrepreneur Arlene Dickinson has a message for small business owners making a game plan for 2021. Harm reduction advocate Guy Felicella shares his survival story, and outlines what meaningful and effective response to Canada's opioid crisis needs to look like.

Guy Felicella, peer clinical advisor to the BC Centre on Substance Use and Vancouver Coastal Health, talks about the City of Vancouver's historic call to decriminalize possession within the city.

Guy Felicella, peer clinical advisor to the BC Centre on Substance Use and Vancouver Coastal Health, talks about the City of Vancouver's historic call to decriminalize possession within the city.

Is the area the problem? Or is a lack of security the problem? We chat with Guy Felicella , peer clinical advisor with the Overdose Emergency Response Centre and BC Centre on Substance Use

Today's highlights:  Trudeau addresses the nation And we have every second podcasted for you to hear moistly.  Crime rate continues to rise in Vancouver Another deadly month for illicit drug deaths NAVIGATE THE PODCAST:  Chapter 1 Bonnie Henry getting death threats!? Wtf! Who is to blame for the high price of housing Chapter 2 Trudeau addresses the nation Chapter 3 Crime rates continue to spike in Vancouver We chat with Councillor Melissa De Genova about what the city can do to tone down the increased crime.  Chapter 4 Analyzing our approach to addicts, from two sides The first angle: we're too lenient with addicts The second angle: we need leniency for people who are struggling First we chat with Jon Stovell President of Reliance Properties, who thinks that we need to do more about addicts who are let off the hook for crimes. Then we speak to a former addict, Guy Felicella, who disagrees. Chapter 5 Vaping is still a problem And we have two people who are sounding the alarm. ___________   Remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and stay home at all costs if you are sick. We're not out of the woods yet!    The Lynda Steele Full Show podcast includes all the individual segments that can be found on the Lynda Steele Show page, digitally stitched together for your convenience.    Listen live online at globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/ 3-6 PM!

The first angle: we're too lenient with addicts The second angle: we need leniency for people who are struggling First we chat with Jon Stovell President of Reliance Properties, who thinks that we need to do more about addicts who are let off the hook for crimes. Then we speak to a former addict, Guy Felicella, who disagrees.

New in this update:New data on COVID-19 shows a concerning rise in the number of people hospitalized. Today, there are 22 people in hospital due to the virus. That's close to triple the number from one week ago. There are 58 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed over the past 24 hours, including 2 in Island Health. Currently, there are 18 active cases of coronavirus in our health region and 925 province-wide. There have been no new deaths from the virus since yesterday.Meanwhile, more people have died from drug overdoses in BC than from suicide, murder, motor vehicle accidents and COVID-19 combined. The BC Coroner's service reports 176 people suffered fatal overdoses in July. In Nanaimo, there were four overdose deaths, bringing this year's total to 24. That's just three shy of the total number of overdose deaths in Nanaimo for all of 2019. You can read more about the coroner's report on overdose deaths on our website.Part of BC's response to the overdose crisis has been to give physicians the ability to prescribe safe alternatives like hydromorphone. But, that program has been stymied because of the reluctance of many physicians to write those prescriptions. BC's provincial health officer says the province is looking at expanding the program to allow others like nurse practitioners or pharmacists to prescribe safe alternatives. Dr. Bonnie Henry says new guidelines are coming within weeks, but at least one harm reduction specialist is urging the province to include more drugs in that safe supply. Guy Felicella from the BC Center on Substance Use says hydromorphone is not a viable alternative for users of cocaine or methamphetamines."We need to give drug users not the least sought after drugs but the drugs they're actually seeking, in order to remove people completely from the toxic drug supply and not partially. And I think our challenge is what we are doing is not working."—Guy Felicella, BCCSU Peer Clinical Advisor.Dr. Henry says the province is looking at adding injectable hydromorphone to its alternative supply. She says it's been difficult to get prescription heroin because it is not manufactured in Canada.The Victoria man who was fined $2300 dollars for violating COVID-19 party rules last weekend says he plans to fight the ticket. 20 year old Nate Christian told CHEK news he was following COVID-safety guidelines."I gave everybody hand sanitizers. I took everybody's names down and I showed the cops that but they did not care. They're like 'yeah, you're getting a ticket.'"—Nate ChristianVictoria police say they fined Christian after two warnings and when they entered his one-bedroom apartment, they found the windows fogged up and 30 guests who were sweating from being in such a confined space. Christian admits the only rule he failed to follow was the one about physical distancing. He says he has been evicted from his apartment.

Interview from the weekday Co-op Radio News Hour Covid19 Report, daily 7-8am 100.5fmHost: David P. Ball. Produced by Vancouver Co-op Radio/Bryan McKinnon/Laurence Gatinel/David P. BallTheme music: Hannah Epperson, 'Iodine' used with generous permission of the artist

Guy Felicella grew up in a middle class home in Richmond but fell into addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment and jail. He spent nearly 20 years residing in the two block radius in the Downtown Eastside and using many resources, including harm reduction, to keep himself alive.  Today, Guy has escaped the grips of the turmoils that kept him suffering and resides in Surrey with his wife and two young children with multiple years of recovery and sobriety under his belt.  Guy is passionate about advocating for the vulnerable people who still suffer in addiction and educating communities on harm reduction to eliminate the stigma that exists around it. Guy has started a career with Vancouver Coastal Health in addition to attending various school districts to educate students on addiction.  Guy spent nearly his entire life suffering from the disease of addiction and now he is using his experience to change the hearts and minds of people stating, “you can't save a dead addict.”