I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 120 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.
Before we begin, I'd like to ask all members and other in-person participants to consult the cards on the table for guidelines to prevent audio feedback incidents.
Please take note of the following preventative measures in place to protect the health and safety of all participants, including the interpreters. Use only the black approved earpiece. The former grey earpieces must no longer be used. Please keep your earpiece away from all microphones at all times. When you're not using your earpiece, place it face down on the sticker placed on the table for this purpose. Thank you for your co-operation.
In accordance with our routine motion, I'm informing the committee that all remote participants have completed the required connection tests in advance of the meeting.
We have a challenge with Dr. Powlowski that we're trying to resolve. We will not hold up the meeting, if at all possible, while that's being done.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted on November 8, 2023, the committee is resuming its study of the opioid epidemic and toxic drug crisis in Canada.
I'd like to welcome our panel of witnesses. Appearing as individuals are Dr. Bohdan Nosyk, professor and St. Paul's Hospital CANFAR chair in HIV/AIDS research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University; Mr. Benjamin Perrin, professor, Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia; and Dr. Julian Somers, clinical psychologist and distinguished professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University.
Finally, we welcome Catherine Jutras, an overdose prevention consultant. She is representing Arrimage Jeunesse and Mouvement de la relève d'Amos-région.
All of our witnesses today are appearing by video conference. We will ask them to provide opening statements of five minutes in length in the order in which they appear on the notice of meeting.
We will start with Dr. Nosyk.
Welcome to the committee. You have the floor.