Premier David Eby said his government was taken by surprise by some of the negative repercussions of its decisions to decriminalize the possession of some drugs.
But he says that admitting that his government made a mistake is a sign of strength—and that other politicians should admit when they mess up.
In a wide-ranging conversation with Chilliwack podcaster Aaron Pete, Eby talked about how his background as a prosecutor set the stage for his government’s controversial decriminalization decisions, and explained why the NDP reversed course after concerns from police chiefs and the public.
When asked by Pete if there was a decision he would change if given a second chance, Eby talked about the rationale behind decriminalizing hard drugs in many places—and suggested that changing direction can show strength and build trust from residents.
“I have been a drug prosecutor,” he said. “I prosecuted a young Indigenous woman. It was …