Thank you, Chairman, and members of the committee, for the invitation to speak with you today.
Let me get right to it. It's unlikely I'll need my full time today since these are fairly simple and straightforward points that I'll outline for you.
The main reason that this government has made statements over and over again for maintaining taxes on medical cannabis is that non-medical users wishing to purchase cannabis will flock to take advantage of the medical system and abuse the very system that is designed for medical patients.
While that's a very weak and unproven excuse to begin with, it wrongly punishes and conveniently takes advantage of the innocent, legitimate and economically challenged medical patients who are unable to defend themselves and who have turned to medical cannabis to manage their medical conditions and improve both their health and their lives.
However, as of October 17, when all Canadians can legally access cannabis, this so-called reason is no longer valid. It's that simple. I call on this government to end the practice of taking advantage of medical patients to fund the government's legalization needs and end the senseless, harmful and shameful tax on medical patients as of that date.
Let me elaborate and give you a profile of the typical medical cannabis patient. The greatest percentage of medical cannabis patients are among the most economically challenged of Canadians, struggling to maintain their health and simply trying to live. Many are on disability income today. Patients on disability cannot even claim the cost of medical cannabis on their tax return because they have disability and have not earned income.
It's also critically important to recognize that not only are they financially challenged to begin with, but they're also funding their own medicine since cannabis isn't typically covered by drug plans. This isn't unlike medical cannabis patient Sarah Colero, who sits in the visitors' gallery with us today. Sarah had two strokes as a child of only five years old and has suffered with seizures and migraines all her life. She was prescribed oxycodone and hydromorphone, and since switching to medical cannabis, she not only got off opioids, which frankly is a feat unto itself, she has eliminated her seizures completely and now lives independently. Her migraines are completely manageable.
Also, please understand that in the vast majority of cases, medical cannabis patients have already exhausted conventional and funded medical options, either because they simply don't work or they left the patient in such a state that they couldn't function properly. There's also a large segment of medical cannabis patients where cannabis allowed the patient to return to work, to live, to function, to earn a wage, and to help themselves and their families as best they can—just like Sarah has.
What's common among the patients? I'd submit that through medical cannabis, patients are actually costing the provinces, the federal government and insurance companies less money in drug, health care and workplace insurance costs since they are funding their own medicine while often contributing to the overall productivity of this country through their ability to return to work.
Is this who we should be taking advantage of?
These patients should not be financially punished or penalized for taking ownership of their health. They should be commended for taking responsibility of their own health, getting off opioids, and returning to a much better level of health. They should not in any way be viewed as individuals to be financially taken advantage of, as this government has done.
I ask you this important question today. Is this really who we've become as Canadians, taking advantage of the ill and economically challenged who are doing their very best to take care of themselves and their families? Is this really who we are as Canadians? I don't think so.
I suggest you honestly look at yourselves in the mirror and ask yourselves this very same question.
My vision of Canada is a much better one than this and I suggest we're way better than that. It's time to demonstrate who we truly are as Canadians and remove these taxes.
In closing, I submit to you today that this government's taxing of medical cannabis is utterly shameful, and the practice of taking advantage of medically challenged and responsible Canadians must stop.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.