SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 320

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 29, 2024 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 320 - May/29/24
Hon. Ya'ara Saks (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • May/29/24 9:43:52 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, I want to thank the member for sharing what he is seeing in his own community. We are seeing this in communities across the country, and it is so important we meet the moment. A war on drugs is what the Conservatives are purporting to be the answer, with forced treatment and saying they care for their loved ones, but they want to criminalize people. We need compassion. We need health care. We need a firm commitment to a comprehensive suite of tools that, yes, includes harm reduction. It is shameful to see there is such a lack of compassion on the other side of what it truly takes to invest in Canadians, to invest in families and to invest in communities to save lives in this overdose crisis. We have put a billion dollars on this side of the House toward saving lives, and we will not stop. We are meeting this moment with our provincial jurisdictions. We are meeting the moment with our communities, with harm reduction, with treatment, with prevention and with care. On this side of the House, we care about Canadians.
188 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, CPC)
  • May/29/24 9:45:08 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, I am splitting three ways, and my questions will be for the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. My colleagues have asked about a company called Fair Price Pharma, which is run by former B.C. public health officer Perry Kendall and a partner. Its business is selling heroin. The results of an Order Paper question show that in a two-year period leading up to December 13 of last year, the minister met with Fair Price Pharma on September 15, her predecessor met personally with Fair Price Pharma four times and that health officials met with it an additional seven times. That is a dozen meetings in two years, which is a lot of meetings for a minister and officials with one company in the heroin business. What is being discussed in these 12 meetings between Liberals and this heroin company?
144 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • May/29/24 9:45:52 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, to be clear, I, as Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, have not met with Fair Price Pharma. The September 15 meeting the member is referencing was actually a meeting of ISED, with another office and not my department. There were members of my staff who were present at that meeting, who were invited to listen in. To be clear, we meet with experts in this field. Dr. Kendall was joined by Dr. Schechter and other experts at those meetings, and we need to talk to experts, even if we do not agree with them.
97 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:46:29 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, this is not a dispassionate expert. This is someone who went from the public health world into selling heroin. Twelve meetings in two years is not normal even for an expert. Again I will ask, what is being discussed in these meetings? What is Fair Price Pharma asking the Liberal government for?
54 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:46:49 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the Dr. Kendall the member is referencing was part of the B.C. government, not the federal government, just to be clear. As I mentioned before, those meetings were held at ISED, I did not attend those meetings and was not privy to the discussions around the table.
50 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:47:09 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, 12 meetings in two years. Four in-person meetings with this heroin company and the former minister. This new incoming minister must have been briefed on the nature of this close relationship and what was being discussed. For a final time, why is the government meeting 12 times in two years with this heroin company? What is being discussed? What is Fair Price Pharma asking for?
68 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:47:35 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the member across the way knows perfectly well the meetings were held at ISED. The member also knows I have not met with Fair Price Pharma. The member also knows my predecessor did meet with Fair Price Pharma. That being said, what I do know is across the way they do not listen to many of the experts we need to listen to, including Moms Stop the Harm. I would love to know why the Leader of the Opposition refuses to meet with families who know what they need in their communities. We will meet with everyone. Why do the Conservatives not do that?
106 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:48:09 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, a lot of people want to hide their meetings with drug dealers, but I would have expected better from this minister. What is the purpose of these 12 meetings with this corporate drug dealer?
36 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:48:22 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, I have answered this question already. He can keep asking it, but we will speak to all experts on what matters, and most importantly, to save lives; all tools and resources.
33 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:48:38 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, is the Government of Canada party to any contracts or agreements involving Fair Price Pharma?
17 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:48:46 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, no.
3 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:48:53 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, will the minister demonstrate her point either way by releasing all contracts involved in safe supply?
18 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:49:03 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, pharmaceutical contracts are the purview of the provinces in terms of prescribed alternatives.
15 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:49:13 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, we put forward a motion at the government operations committee asking for any contracts to which the federal government is a party. The Liberals have been filibustering to block the release of those contracts. If no contracts existed, I suspect Liberals would not be motivated to filibuster to block their release. Will the minister agree to release any contracts to which the federal government is a party, involving these drug programs?
73 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:49:39 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, federal funding toward prescribed alternative programs goes to the operations of the programs themselves. As I have said, contracts with pharmaceutical companies for prescribed medications are between the province and those pharmaceutical companies. We support the implementation of programs.
41 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • May/29/24 9:50:00 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, there have been 12 meetings with a heroin-selling company. The government is refusing to release contracts involving the Government of Canada and corporate drug dealers. Why will the minister not tell us what was discussed in those meetings, and why is the minister sitting on these contracts?
50 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 9:50:18 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, as I have stated, but I will repeat for the benefit of the committee, contracts such as these are between provinces and these companies.
26 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Tracy Gray (Kelowna—Lake Country, CPC)
  • May/29/24 9:50:39 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, my questions are for the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. The minister's department approved an open drug use policy in public places, including parks and playgrounds in British Columbia, in 2023. Does the minister believe children seeing drug usage normalizes drug usage for children?
48 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • May/29/24 9:50:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, we are committed to a compassionate approach to this public health crisis that is clearly anchored in public safety as well, but we need to understand that those who use drugs need to be directed to health care. Families and communities have a right to be safe wherever they are, parks—
54 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Deputy Chair
  • May/29/24 9:51:14 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for Kelowna—Lake Country.
8 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border