IN THE HOUSE – ‘People died while government dithered on B.C. drug issue’
Excerpt from Question Period in the House of Commons on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
Frank Caputo Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, B.C. (Conservative)
Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the crime, chaos, cost or disorder. Sixty-six people died, on average, while we waited for the Prime Minister to make a decision on B.C.’s request. The government dithered and people died. The government did not even go as far as it could have in getting rid of its aggressive, radical and wacko legalization of hard drugs.
Why did it take the government so long to reverse its course on legalization? Will it promise never to do it again?
Steven MacKinnon Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, of course, the Prime Minister dealt with that thoroughly, earlier in this question period, and we have amended our arrangement with British Columbia.
That member needs to answer a very important question. The Leader of the Opposition has now vowed to have an à la carte Charter of Rights where, today, he would decide what rights to have and what rights to not have. What would it be tomorrow? Would it be women’s reproductive rights? Would it be the right to a fair trial? Would it be the right to freedom of expression? The notwithstanding charter-ripping policies of the current Conservative Party need an answer.
Marc Dalton Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, B.C. (Conservative)
Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the Liberal-NDP Prime Minister is not worth the crime, chaos, drugs and disorder. Across British Columbia, there are people strung out on drugs, often comatose or dying. The legalization of fentanyl, meth and crack has led to a tragic wave of death. The Liberals and New Democrats are panicking as their poll numbers drop. The public is fed up. Deadly hard drugs will still be able to be used with today’s announcement.
When will the Prime Minister stop tinkering and completely end his wacko drug experiment?
Anita Anand President of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, I must remind the hon. member that the question was already answered. On this side of the House, what we want to emphasize is that a woman’s right to choose and charter rights generally are non-negotiable. On this side of the House, we will always protect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We will always stand up for a woman’s right to choose, and we ask everybody in the House to vote in favour of contraception for women so they have autonomy over their own bodies.
Tracy Gray Kelowna—Lake Country, B.C. (Conservative)
Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the crime, chaos, drugs and disorder.
The Liberal minister responsible for the legislation of hard drugs, like fentanyl, meth and crack in British Columbia, is still clinging to parts of the Liberal’s wacko hard drug legislation experiment. Public open drug use is rampant in our streets. People are even afraid to take their dogs out to walk around their own neighbourhoods.
On what day will the Prime Minister completely end this failed radical drug policy?
Ya’ara Saks Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health (Liberal)
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Today, we said yes to B.C.’s request for an amendment to its pilot project, the pilot program that B.C. asked the federal government to work with it with compassion, conviction, science and health expertise.
B.C. knows perfectly well, as do the advocates and families that are part of this project, that we need to have a public health and public safety approach to this to save lives.
(Source: OpenParliament.ca)
ArmchairMayor.ca 
It is now illegal to use hard drugs in public. If you see a junkie criminal breaking the law, tell them to stop immediately, call the police and defend your right to a clean and healthy community. If you see this behaviour outside a service provider, call the police and report it to the city. It’s time to restore order and impose expected behaviours on everyone.
The wild binge is officially over.
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I suggest that individuals who see banned drug use on our streets not to interact and “tell them to stop immediately”. The RCMP and Interior Health have partnered and have trained people to do that.
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Yes, it’s my own personal duty to intervene to the best of my ability if I see a criminal engaging in illegal activity. Others of course may not feel that way, and of course should notify the authorities if they feel their health or safety is threatened.
Being 230lbs and having spent a career in construction makes me less apprehensive to confrontation. This is not the reality of others.
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