Speaker: Marshall Smith
Join us for a lunch session with Marshall Smith, principal architect of the Alberta Recovery Model, as he explores one of the most urgent and complex issues facing Canada today, the ongoing addiction crisis. In this timely and thought-provoking discussion, Marshall discusses Compassionate Intervention, a term he coined to describe Alberta’s approach to mandated treatment, and positions it as a necessary and evolving response within modern public health systems.
Grounded in evidence-informed practice, ethical considerations, and real-world implementation, this session will examine why intervention can be both justified and essential when individuals are at significant risk of harm. Marshall will address common misconceptions around mandated treatment, offering clarity on the moral, clinical, and societal responsibilities that underpin compassionate approaches to care.
Attendees will gain insight into how compassionate intervention is being operationalized within Alberta’s legislative and service framework, including practical applications for policymakers and frontline providers.
The session will also explore the critical balance between individual autonomy and collective responsibility, highlighting the safeguards required to ensure interventions remain therapeutic, ethical, and recovery-oriented.