Over and over, I hear British Columbia’s Minister of Health Kevin Falcon tell us he is following “best practices,” when he explains why certain services, such as six community based crisis lines on Vancouver Island, have been dismantled. The term is held up as a rationale for cuts to an existing and responsive tried and true system of delivery of services, particularly in regard to the Nuu-Chah-Nulth on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Under the guise of “best practices,” the existing crisis-line services that have direct ties in to each of the communities are being replaced with a central call centre. The easy to remember number 811, so goes the rationale, will make it more convenient for those in crisis to get through for the help they need. That the call centre will be staffed by the lowest bidder for the job will make for great savings in Falcon’s system. Anyone who’s paid attention to the abject failure of corporations such as Telus to deliver useful service to its customers through their outsourced call centres should quickly understand the fundamental differences in service that this shift by the Minister of Health implies. The difference is often inconvenient and frustrating when dealing with one’s phone or internet service; it can be a matter of life and death when dealing with a crisis line for those living in remote regions whose only contact is the person on the other end of the line. It can make all the difference for the individual in crisis if the voice on the other end of the line is familiar with the community, the situation, and the unique social narrative that defines small and remote communities.
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