NDP stands with Canadians who have lost loved ones to the toxic drug crisis urging elected officials to act « Canada’s NDP

June 1, 2023 at 4:00 am  Federal, Politics

Jagmeet Singh also called on the Conservative Leader to meet with members of Moms Stop the Harm

OOTAWA – On Thursday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh stood with NDP MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni) and representatives from Moms Stop the Harm to urge the Liberal government to deal with the toxic drug public health crisis.
Singh also sent a letter to Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, calling on him to meet with Moms Stop the Harm to hear directly from family members who support an evidence-based, health-care approach to the toxic drug crisis.
“Canadians are worried about their children accessing and using toxic drugs. They want to know that their family members are safe,” said Singh. “Instead of acting to address this public health crisis, the Liberals are dragging their feet and ignoring the advice of public health experts and Canadians who have seen first-hand what the toxic drug crisis is doing to their communities and their families. Meanwhile, the Conservative Leader is more interested in playing political games than solving this public health crisis.
The very least he can do is show these moms who have lost their children some respect and listen to their stories.”
Last month, the Conservatives called for current harm reduction measures be cancelled, alleging that clients of pilot projects providing safe drugs, were re-selling them and contributing to deaths. The Chief Coroner of B.C. refuted the Conservatives’ claim, saying that the drug poisoning crisis is the direct result of an unregulated drug market where members of our communities are dying because non-prescribed, non-pharmaceutical fentanyl is poisoning them on an unprecedented scale.
“Nobody should have to wait for treatment for substance use disorder when they are ready to take the road to recovery,” said Johns. “Today, Canadians are faced with exorbitant fees or endless waitlists, and this is costing lives. The Liberals need to immediately implement their election promise of a Mental Health Transfer to the provinces. That needs to include dedicated funding for residential treatment for substance use disorder through a single payer mechanism. This service should be a part of Canada’s universal health care system.”
Singh and Johns spoke to media on the one-year anniversary of the defeat of Johns’ private member’s bill. The bill called for a strategy that included decriminalization of simple possession, harm reduction measures including safe injection sites and pharmaceutical grade substances for users, the expansion of recovery programs including just-in-time, no-fee residential treatment programs and an expanded public education and health promotion program.

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