SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 320

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 29, 2024 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 320 - May/29/24
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:20:32 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the failed experiment in British Columbia was walked back by the minister herself after she was forced to do it due to a request from B.C. because of so many deaths. Will she rule it out for her own city, in Toronto?
45 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:20:52 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, as the member well knows, we have said no to the Toronto proposal. Again, she seems to ignore the many stakeholders and evidence supporting a full use of tools to address the overdose crisis. People are dying because of street drugs; they are not dying because of decriminalization.
50 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:21:13 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, will the minister say no to Toronto forever?
10 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:21:19 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, we do not deal with hypotheticals on this side of the House; we deal with facts. I wish the member would actually engage in an evidence-based conversation on what a comprehensive strategy to addressing the overdose crisis looks like.
42 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:21:38 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, it is not a hypothetical; it is a yes or no question. Will the minister rule out decriminalization for Toronto going forward?
24 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:21:47 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the member is misleading Canadians. The proposal has already been rejected. There is no new application on the books, and we do not deal with what-ifs and what-abouts. We deal—
35 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Deputy Chair
  • May/29/24 11:21:58 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for Thornhill.
5 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:22:00 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, it is a very simple question. The people of Toronto have watched crack being smoked in hospitals and people shooting up in parks, next to children. Will the minister say no to decriminalization in Toronto going forward? It is a yes or no question.
46 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:22:21 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the current proposal was rejected.
7 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:22:28 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, it is a yes or no question. Yes or no, will the minister rule out decriminalization for Toronto, for Montreal and for Halifax? I will even expand the question for her.
33 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:22:40 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, there are currently no proposals put before Health Canada for those jurisdictions.
14 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:22:47 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, we are aware that the proposal from Toronto was rejected. If the Liberals win the next election, will the minister commit to never decriminalizing illegal drugs in Toronto?
30 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:23:20 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, just like the member does not have a crystal ball of what will happen in the next election, we do not have a crystal ball on what jurisdictions will need and what they will ask the federal government to collaborate with them on in addressing the overdose crisis.
50 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:23:35 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the minister was asked, yes or no, whether she will commit to never decriminalizing illegal drugs in Toronto as she did with her failed, insane drug policy in British Columbia. She was asked whether she is not going to bring it forward in Toronto, and she cannot answer the question. I am going to give her one more opportunity: Will the minister commit to never decriminalizing drugs, going forward, in Toronto?
73 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:24:01 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, I would kindly ask the member to check her language in the stigmatization of those who need our help in addressing substance use and addictions. On this side of the House, we deal with facts, with experts, with evidence and with health care systems, and we will continue to work—
53 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Deputy Chair
  • May/29/24 11:24:22 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for Thornhill.
5 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Ms. Melissa Lantsman
  • May/29/24 11:24:31 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, I am going to ask this one last time tonight: Will the minister commit to not decriminalizing illegal drugs in Toronto going forward? The people of Toronto want to know what she is going to do in her own community, because she has already let down B.C.
50 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks
  • May/29/24 11:25:07 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, the City of Toronto knows that it needs health care services from the province and that it needs to work collaboratively with all levels of government to save lives and address those people who use substances.
38 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Laila Goodridge (Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, CPC)
  • May/29/24 11:25:31 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, is diversion being tracked?
6 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Ya'ara Saks (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • May/29/24 11:25:37 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Chair, according to DASA, it is being tracked, and the RCMP—
13 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border