Premier David Eby unveiled his plan Sunday to place the most severely addicted, brain-damaged, street-entrenched people into involuntary long-term care — a detailed and reasonable proposal that, unfortunately for the BC NDP, may be four years, two premiers and two elections too late.

Eby announced legislative changes to expand forced treatment for those suffering concurrent mental health, brain injury and addictions issues, as well as new secure treatment facilities around the province, new secure wings inside B.C. prisons and new provisions to help parents assign youth into treatment against their will.

“What is apparent is that we cannot wait,” he said.

“This is a group of people that need intensive, interventionist support. They are not able to ask for help for themselves. They will not benefit from voluntary treatment. They require somebody to step [in] and recognize that they lack the capacity to look after themselves, make decisions to keep themselves safe.”

If that sounds familiar it’s because the BC NDP have been promising, and then reneging, on the issue since 2020.

That’s when then-premier John Horgan first introduced involuntary care legislation to allow youth to be held in hospital for up to a week after an overdose to get proper addictions and mental health supports.

“I believe this is an important bill because I've talked to parents who've lost children, and they........

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