Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Macdonald, Mr. Charles, I join the committee chair in offering you my most sincere thoughts and my compassion. We are here to try to find solutions to situations that are extremely difficult in human terms. I have the impression that the further we get into this study, the more resources we may need ourselves. Indeed, the subject affects us enormously. People are dying on the streets every day as a result of the toxic drug crisis, leaving behind brothers, sisters and parents who are living through this tragedy. To date, there have been more than 45,000 deaths due to overdoses, and we are looking for solutions.
Because solutions must be evidence-based, I'd like to talk about some research I came across, Professor Larney. At the same time, I'd like to ask you to submit to the committee your study on trends in toxicological findings on deaths from involuntary intoxication by opioids and stimulants in Quebec. I want you to do this so that we can officially have this document in our hands when we try to make a report.
At the end, you say that there are a series of interventions to prevent and respond to acute overdoses, including supervised consumption, overdose prevention sites, prescribing a safer supply, medication verification—I imagine you're talking about drug verification here—the distribution of Naloxol, and opioid antagonist treatments as well. You go on to say that further research is also needed to establish, particularly with regard to drug verification and safe supply, whether there are results that can be considered conclusive, and to determine the effectiveness of these measures.
There is currently a marked tendency in Canadian politics to go backwards, to be skittish and, for purely electoral considerations, to say that we are going to put an end to certain measures. I'd like you to tell us more about that.