Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just wanted to again applaud the courage and the solidarity that my colleague across the table has demonstrated in the House. That's just tremendous leadership. She is very eloquent when she speaks and very eloquent even when she does not speak.
I just wanted to say thank you once again, Madame Vignola.
I agree with what Madame Vignola has said. The opioid study belongs in the health committee, HESA. This committee, my colleagues across the way and the Conservative Party will be happy to find out or happy to learn, is already studying this issue of the opioid epidemic. It's actually entitled, “Opioid Epidemic and Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada”.
This is the study that HESA is already doing. They have already had 33 witnesses called on this issue. They have had eight meetings. Their ninth meeting on this issue, as I understand it, will be tomorrow. They've had 33 witnesses. They've had 18 briefs on this very issue. They are the committee that has the expertise and the resources to study this issue.
I would say that this issue belongs in the HESA committee, in the health committee, where it's currently being studied. This would only duplicate those efforts. I truly believe that our colleagues across the way should reach out to their colleagues in the HESA committee and work through them, because they are already studying this issue.
At the same time I would say that for me, my priority is to fix this issue and to see this issue fixed. The opioid crisis should not be treated and used for fundraising. This committee should not be used as a platform for fundraising and for cheap clips. This is too important an issue, too serious an issue. People are dying. They are losing their lives because of it.
I strongly believe that this study, again, is already being undertaken at the health committee. That's where it belongs. That's where they have the expertise. It's where they have already done the serious work to deal with this issue. They've brought in witnesses with various viewpoints on this issue. I do truly believe that's where this study belongs.
The other thing I would add is that we're seeing provinces grappling with this issue. We're seeing provinces of various different stripes grappling with this issue. It's important that we work with our provincial partners and understand this issue fully and not jump to conclusions.
Obviously, British Columbia has one model that had elements of decriminalization as part of their pilot project. Alberta went the completely opposite way and is also seeing tremendous increases in opioid deaths. In Alberta a historic number of people are losing their lives to this scourge, to this epidemic.
I think it's important that we draw the lessons and not focus on just one viewpoint or one jurisdiction. We should really work with our provincial counterparts who are on the front lines of this battle, work with our municipalities, and work to fix this issue. That's what I would say.
Again, the motion that is before us has a very tenuous link to the mandate of this committee. If we really want to study and get a handle on the opioid epidemic and the toxic drug crisis in Canada, then, again, the HESA committee has already done the spade work on this issue. They're already far ahead into their study. I do believe that's where this study belongs.
Thank you.