Jon Claytor is a graphic novelist and artist based in Sackville, New Brunswick. His memoir Take the Long Way Home was published by Conundrum Press in 2022, he has illustrated several interviews for the CBC, and has led multiple workshops on storytelling and comics.

For this project Jon has interviewed people who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic. He has also facilitated creative workshops intended to create a safe place to share experiences. Working closely with the interviewees and with Ashley’s guidance he created this series of comics.

jonclaytor.com

Ashley Legere is the Executive Director of the Cumberland Homelessness & Housing Support Association In Amherst Nova Scotia. Her team created the first permanent emergency shelter in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. She is dedicated to helping vulnerable community members  navigate complex social systems. Ashley has done intensive case management, and community outreach pertaining to homelessness for many years. She has helped start harm reduction initiatives in pharmacies in New Brunswick as well as Needle Distribution efforts, Naloxone distribution, and harm reduction education in Sackville, New Brunswick. 

For this project Ashley has contributed a commentary for each comic outlining key ideas and facts about harm reduction. She has connected Jon with community members to interview and guidance about harm reduction principles and language.

Here is what Ashley has to say about her work and experience:

Every day, there are stories of overdose deaths in major cities across the country, and it’s easy to overlook the impact it has in rural Canada. New Brunswick has the second-highest IV substance use rate per capita in Canada.

While I worked in Sackville, it became very apparent to me that small towns were not immune and maybe felt the impact heavier because we know them. We know their families, grandparents, favourite teachers, what they ordered at Mel’s, and what they took in their coffees.

When we connect with others, when we are surrounded by people who accept us as we are, where we are, that’s where real healing begins, not in meeting some arbitrary standard of sobriety, but in building meaningful relationships and supportive communities.

This is where harm reduction comes in. It’s about meeting people where they are and helping them take the steps that make sense for them. It’s about recognizing that each person’s journey is unique and that all progress deserves to be celebrated, no matter how small. Harm reduction doesn’t force people to conform to someone else’s idea of recovery; it honours each person’s path. And in doing so, it allows us to address the root causes of substance use: trauma, mental health, poverty, and disconnection.

Harm reduction work isn’t just a job; it’s woven into the very fabric of who we are. We are harm reductionists because we deeply and unconditionally believe in the value of every person’s life, no matter their struggles. Harm reduction is rooted in empathy, understanding, and a fierce commitment to loving people exactly as they are. It’s a calling that doesn’t end when the workday does; it’s part of our personality, our life, and our purpose.

This work is about being there, without judgment, for people that society has often overlooked or misunderstood. It’s in our nature to offer support, fight stigma, and show up even in the hardest moments, because harm reduction is built on the belief that everyone deserves compassion and respect. It’s more than a practice; it’s a reflection of our values and why we’re here.

Send us an email at smalltownharmreduction@gmail.com