Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, honourable members, for inviting me here today to share what will be a thorough discussion on this study. I am pleased to be here today to contribute to your important study of the toxic illegal drug and overdose crisis.
This crisis is so widespread that no family, and indeed no Canadian, is untouched by it. I expect you have heard from families, frontline workers, researchers, and health and other experts of the tremendous toll that the crisis is taking across Canada.
Many dedicated people and organizations are working tirelessly and relentlessly to provide a range of much-needed supports to some of the most vulnerable and marginalized people in our country. They are saving lives, providing hope and helping people find their paths toward well-being and health. These are the tireless heroes of the crisis who show up in the most challenging of circumstances. They deserve nothing short of our complete support and gratitude.
I have been fortunate enough to meet with many of them across the country. Their stories and dedication inspire me and so many others in their communities. They have shared with me that the deep polarization and misinformation that has coloured the debate in Canada regarding this crisis is not helping them. In fact, it is making their challenging work that much harder.
I’ve pledged to them that I will work to amplify their voices and share their good work. We must not forget that everyone working in this field and everyone around this table shares the same singular goal: We are here to save lives.
To that end, our government has put compassion and dignity at the centre of our comprehensive strategy to address the harms of this crisis. We are investing in a continuum of supports, from education and prevention through to expanded access to quality treatment, aftercare and recovery services.
Prevention and treatment are two ends of the spectrum, but we must also care for the lives of people who are struggling in between those spaces. The reality is that we must provide necessary resources to people who use drugs to minimize the risk as much as possible while they are on their path towards recovery.
We are tracking our public health interventions and we can see where they are working. Across supervised consumption sites, the number of overdose responses attended to between October 2017 and September 2023 was over 52,000. Additionally, more than 260,000 referrals were made to connect people with health and social services to help them towards recovery, but it is abundantly clear that no single intervention will turn the tide. It will take the collective effort of everyone.
As you will be aware, our government made historic investments to provinces and territories to increase access to mental health and substance use services.
Colleagues, we need to make mental health and substance use care a full and equal part of our universal health care system. In support of our shared efforts, I’ve convened an FPT table of ministers of mental health and addictions that meets quarterly to collaborate on these important priorities.
Additionally, I am working closely with my cabinet colleagues to address health and social factors that can impact an individual’s risk of substance use-related harms.
For example, I am working with Minister Hajdu to advance work towards reconciliation and support indigenous peoples to develop distinction-based solutions to address the impacts of this crisis. Alongside Minister Fraser, we are focused on improving access to supportive housing, which is one of the most important things needed to help someone stabilize their life and find their path to recovery. I am also working with Minister LeBlanc to address public safety and the role of organized crime in the production, diversion and trafficking of toxic illegal drugs.
We have a whole-of-government strategy. This is the Canada model. We are confident that by working together with a comprehensive response, we can make progress on this critically important priority.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.
