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House Hansard - 329

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 11, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 329 - Jun/11/24
Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Lib.)
  • Jun/11/24 7:14:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I imagine that my colleague opposite is pleased, since he got his video clip, but I would like to set the record straight. The overdose crisis is one of the worst public health crises Canada has ever faced. There is no easy solution. The crisis is fed by a supply of illegal drugs that are becoming more toxic, unpredictable and deadly by the day. It is also driven by underlying socio-economic concerns and problems in accessing treatment. By working together, we can put a stop to the harmful effects of this crisis and the far too many needless deaths across the country. No one order of government cannot address this crisis alone. That is why we are working closely with all orders of government, indigenous communities, partners and stakeholders to implement a holistic approach to addressing substance use and related harms, focused on promoting public health and protecting public health. Working with the provinces, territories and other partners across the country means implementing solutions they propose, monitoring them closely and making the necessary adjustments along the way. If we do not try something different, we cannot expect different results. We need to be open to finding new solutions to put an end to this crisis. If the Conservatives had come along on the trip taken by the Standing Committee on Health, they would have heard this for themselves, from the organizations that are working hard on the ground every day. The recent amendment to B.C.'s exemption for personal drug possession demonstrates the point. We granted B.C.'s request to prohibit the possession of controlled substances in public spaces because the province identified a concern and sought to adjust its approach. B.C. told us these changes were needed to provide law enforcement with additional tools to address public drug use when safety issues arise, while ensuring that it continues to treat personal drug use as the health and social issue it is, and we listened. Public safety is a priority for the government, which is working hard to find innovative solutions to this toxic drug crisis. We are working closely with our national and international partners, including Public Safety, the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and Canada Post, to stem the flow of illegal drugs, give border officers the tools they need to intercept illegal drugs and precursors, and collaborate with private sector partners to tackle the laundering of proceeds of drug trafficking. The government is also continuing to invest in other evidence-based supports and services to address this crisis. For example, budget 2024 includes a new $150‑million commitment for a fund to support communities, municipalities and indigenous communities. This funding will enable a rapid response to heavily affected communities that have urgent and critical needs related to this crisis. With the ultimate goal of providing Canadians with timely access to prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services and supports they need, we will continue to work with municipalities, provincial and territorial governments, law enforcement, indigenous communities and people with lived and living experience.
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Context: House Hansard - 329 - Jun/11/24
Mrs. Élisabeth Brière
  • Jun/11/24 7:18:53 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the thing we need to remember is that every person who uses drugs needs to have access to the help that best works for them. By offering a wide range of options, we increase the chances that they will find the one that best meets their needs. Stigmatization may be a barrier to accessing these services. That is why the fight against stigmatization is also a priority for the government. When people who use drugs feel judged, they hesitate to ask for help or to turn to the services that are available. They also hide their drug use. What we are trying to do is adopt policies and programs based on health and compassion to create a society where substance abuse problems are considered a chronic health problem that needs to be treated without judgment. Building pathways away from the criminal justice system and towards health and social services is part of a broader approach across these systems with the goal of reducing harms and saving lives while keeping communities safe.
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