My question is to the Premier. Last week, the Premier announced that the government will be spending $225 million to introduce and expedite alcohol sales into convenience stores and gas stations.

Meanwhile, in northern Ontario, we continue to see opioid-related deaths rise. In fact, the north has three times the mortality rate from overdose compared with the rest of the province.

The priorities in Timmins, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Sioux Lookout, Elliot Lake and every community across northern Ontario is not a quicker access to alcohol. They would rather see these millions go towards supervised consumption sites and addiction centres that have been working on shoestring budgets to save people’s lives in northern Ontario.

Why is the Premier prioritizing alcohol sales over dying people from opioid overdoses?

Interjections.

When I speak with people in my riding, they want to know—not what we are doing about a five-minute wait at the liquor store but what we’re doing about a five-hour wait time in ER rooms.

Speaker, this Premier is spending $225 million to expand alcohol sales while hospitals in northern Ontario continue to struggle with inadequate funding from this government.

Last week’s press conference sounded a lot like a campaign launch to me, Speaker. So I would like to know: Does the speaker plan to run on more alcohol being sold in Ontario or does he plan on eventually addressing the health care crisis in northern Ontario?

Interjections.