Thank you.
Through you, Mr. Chair, I'll try to be succinct and accurate in answering Dr. Hanley.
To be frank, there's a false debate brewing regarding harm reduction versus treatment. It's a distraction, because we're focused on saving lives. We are focused on those who use substances and have the disease of addiction and on getting them to health care services. We know this is where we need to stay, within the evidence and the science.
Professor Benjamin Perrin has also raised the issue of disinformation, calling out the Leader of the Opposition on his claims about hard drugs—crack, heroine and cocaine—being decriminalized and resulting in a 380% increase, which was false. Dr. Perrin, who is a former Conservative staffer, outlined this and called the Leader of the Opposition out on what he said were the lies he was spreading.
I would encourage all of us to focus on what's most important: We can't treat someone if they are dead. That is why harm reduction is health care. It is a door to the system. That is why we need to use every tool available to us to save lives, to get those we love into the treatment and health care services they deserve.