Evidence of meeting #7 for Justice and Human Rights in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was meth.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:20 p.m.
Mayor, Town of Drayton Valley
Whether it's under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act or with the amendment to this bill, I think it certainly will add strength to it. We're really looking for where we can strengthen this and make it extremely difficult for people to access these chemicals.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Thank you, Chair.
André, Ms. Davies' comments led me to a couple of questions in terms of your organization and your work in this area of prevention. I wonder if you would comment on your organization and say a bit about what the Drug Prevention Network thinks of safe injection sites.
1:20 p.m.
Executive Officer, Drug Prevention Network of Canada
We're not in favour of the safe injection sites. The goal is to reduce the use and abuse of drugs.
I do believe that prevention, education, treatment, and enforcement all have a harm reduction component to them.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
So in relating that to this private member's bill, can you tie the two together for me in terms of the prevention and education side?
1:20 p.m.
Executive Officer, Drug Prevention Network of Canada
I think we're talking about two different things. Our philosophy is harm reduction, but I don't believe it plays into what we're talking about today.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Art Hanger
Thank you, Mr. Dykstra.
Your Worship, I think the questions have come to a close, and I think your time is a few minutes away from closure as well.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Art Hanger
One of the members would like to ask you another question.
Mr. Lee.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This is a practical question. You must have had some success in your municipality in breaking up a lab. Maybe not. Maybe the meth in your community was imported from some other darn place. Was there a lab of some description in your community? If there was, who busted it, and what happened to the equipment and the real estate?
1:20 p.m.
Mayor, Town of Drayton Valley
As I stated before, to the best of my knowledge, and after discussing it with the RCMP, there has never been a lab within the town of Drayton Valley or area.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Art Hanger
Thank you, Mr. Lee.
Thank you, Mayor McQueen.
Mr. Bigras, do you have some comments.?
1:20 p.m.
Executive Officer, Drug Prevention Network of Canada
Yes. On the subject of harm reduction, I want to make it clear that it depends on the definition. I do believe in anything that's going to reduce the harm caused by drugs, but we can play with the definition. I want to clarify that depending on what you mean by harm reduction, what I mean might vary.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Art Hanger
Thank you.
There will be other opportunities, Mr. Bigras, to get into that debate. Those definitions have to be clearly defined so we're all clear on what it all means. I know there are two positions on that, at least.
Thank you, witnesses. Thank you, Mayor and Mr. Bigras, for your attendance and your presentations.
1:20 p.m.
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
On a point of information, are we going to have further information about this bill on Thursday? I think there have been a number of questions raised about it.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Art Hanger
Let's suspend for 60 seconds, and then we'll do some business before we conclude.
