Pine tree branches in the foreground with a mountain, lake, and forest in the background.

Purpose

Care Without Coercion was a public education and advocacy campaign responding to Alberta’s Compassionate Intervention Act, which permitted involuntary treatment of people who use drugs. Our purpose was to resist the normalization of coerced care and to offer an alternative: a future rooted in dignity, autonomy, and voluntary, evidence-based support.

Through public storytelling, accessible education, and collective advocacy, we worked to:

  1. Provide Public Education
    We shared clear, accessible information about harm reduction, voluntary care, and the risks of involuntary treatment. Our goal was to help Albertans understand what was at stake and why consent in healthcare mattered.

  2. Highlight Evidence-Based Practice
    We shared and highlighted the research, clinical guidance, and public health recommendations that supported person-centred, trauma-informed, and voluntary care. We advocated for real solutions backed by data, not politics.

  3. Center Lived Experience
    We centred, amplified, and uplifted the voices of People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and People With Lived and Living Experience (PWLLE). Their stories, insights, and leadership shaped every part of the campaign.

  4. Support Autonomy and Advocacy
    We made it easy for individuals and organizations to get involved, whether it was sharing a story, signing a petition, contacting their MLA, or amplifying the message. Every action counted.

Guiding Principles

  • Dignity

    We affirm the inherent worth of all people, regardless of substance use, housing status, or mental health. Every person has the right to be treated with compassion and humanity.

  • Autonomy

    Bodily autonomy is a basic right, not a reward. Real care must be chosen, not forced. Consent is the foundation of ethical healthcare.

  • Truth

    Care Without Coercion is rooted in evidence, not fear. We challenge misinformation with facts and public health research, not panic or stigma.

  • Empathy

    We lead with compassion, not control. We reject punitive approaches and focus instead on what helps people feel safe, seen, and supported.

  • Solidarity

    We don’t speak for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) or People With Lived and Living Experience (PWLLE), we stand with them. This campaign is built in collaboration with PWUD, harm reduction organizations, and values-aligned organizations who know what real care looks like.