Bud Osborn
InSite Supervised Injection Site, 139 E. Hastings St.
"Yesterday
when i got up
I thieved and conned and deceived
just to get for myself
and got hold of nothing but trouble
but today
when I give all
of what little I’ve got left of myself
I receive unexpected and abundant
blessings and gifts of kindness"
From Wow
Downtown Eastside activist Bud Osborn was an originator of North America’s first supervised injection site here, near Hastings and Main. Also a superb poet, Osborn published six books, made a music CD and won the City of Vancouver Book Award. Also a co-founder of VANDU (Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users), Osborn was an unofficial archivist of Canada’s poorest neighbourhood and its most eloquent and forceful spokesman. “He could communicate with people,” said his friend and colleague, MP Libby Davies, “and he always spoke the truth, always. He never shied away from it. I credit him with being able to change the way people perceive drug users.” Hundreds gathered outside Insite for a memorial after Bud Osborn died, at 66, on May 6, 2014.
