SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 161

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 15, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 161 - Feb/15/23
Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • Feb/15/23 7:51:08 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-39 
Madam Speaker, I agree with my hon. colleague's very thoughtful speech, except there is one thing that still concerns me. I will paraphrase, because I was not taking notes as she spoke, but it was something like “once a patient who is suffering has tried everything”. My concern is that as long as we block access to psilocybin, as one example, or other therapies and treatments that could make a difference, I do not think we have tried everything. That is why I am very relieved we have another year, and I hope my hon. colleague would agree that we need to use that year well, including accelerating research into other promising therapies.
116 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 161 - Feb/15/23
Mr. Peter Julian (New Westminster—Burnaby, NDP)
  • Feb/15/23 8:04:14 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-39 
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. He is right, there are service gaps. People with mental health issues may be unable to access what services there are. This is a huge problem. The government has not put any resources into it. This evening, we learned that, when people seek access to psilocybin, a therapy that makes a difference for them, the government and Health Canada are not responding to those requests in due time. Here is my question for my colleague. Why does the government seem unwilling to take mental health issues as seriously as they deserve to be taken? Why is the government dragging its feet on approval for a therapy like psilocybin? Why is it so slow to follow its own guide on the importance of authorizing this kind of treatment?
136 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 161 - Feb/15/23
Mr. Blake Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach, NDP)
  • Feb/15/23 8:08:05 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-39 
Madam Speaker, I just align with one of my colleagues, the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby, in relation to doing everything we can for those who may be suffering before it gets to the point of an application for medical assistance in dying. Earlier today, for example, one of our colleagues gathered folks who were suffering from immense pain and living day by day, not knowing what to do. That pain contributes to their overwhelming feeling of despair, which then leads them to apply for something like medical assistance in dying. In fact, the government could put in place regulations to support these folks before they get to that place. They could ensure psilocybin, a treatment that they are calling for; they have already established a right to have access to this treatment. Would the member speak to the importance of ensuring that we do everything we can to support these folks, including providing medicine that they desperately need?
161 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border