Ex-Deputy Minister Exposes Why Canada's Harm Reduction Is Failing

Overdose deaths keep climbing across most of the country. But one province did the opposite, and the results are hard to argue with.

I sat down with Kym Kaufmann — former Deputy Minister of Mental Health & Addictions for Manitoba and now CEO of the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence — to break down exactly what Alberta is doing differently, and why it's working:

• 36% reduction in overdose deaths since 2023 (vs. just 9% nationally — and only 1% if you remove Alberta)

• 70% reduction in overdose deaths for individuals released from corrections

• Same-day access to addiction treatment (vs. months-long wait times elsewhere)

• Why "harm reduction" stats may be measuring the wrong things entirely

• The case for involuntary treatment — and where it crosses the line

• Why stigmatizing behavior (not people) might be the missing piece

This isn't a hit piece or a harm-reduction defense — it's a data-driven look at what's actually working, and what Ontario, BC, and every other province could learn from it.

🔗 Learn more about Alberta's model: recoveryexcellence.org

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